proceding in his Prophesies shall the K. of Romanes after he hath reigned in IerusaleÌ„ a sabbate of times a half that is saith Mer. x. yeres a halfe take the crown froÌ„ his hed and yeld it vp to the Crosse in Golgotha where Christ was crucified and shall die And the Crosse with the crowne shal be taken into heauen which shal not appeare againe before the comming of the Lord. Fourthly it foloweth then moreouer in the Prophesies of Method Whych declareth that when the weeke or sabbate half weke of times shal end and wheÌ„ the K. of Romanes shall geue vp his crowne in Ierusalem die Then immediatly shal Antichrist the son of perdition begin to appeare be borne in Iewry of the tribe of Dan wherof also came Iudas Iscarioth he shal be borne saith Methodius in Chorosaim shal be bred in Bethsaida shal raign in CapernauÌ„ to the which 3. cities Christ the Lord gaue his 3. Vae And wheÌ„ great tribulatioÌ„ shal increase multiply in the daies of this Antichrist al lordship dominion shal be destroied the Lord shall sende his 2. faithful deare seruants Enoch and Hely to reproue and detect the false seducing lying forgeries of this Antichrist openly before all meÌ„ so that the people seing theÌ„selues falsly beguiled seduced by this son of perditioÌ„ coÌ„ming out of the teÌ„ple diseÌ„blingly to the destructioÌ„ of many shal leaue flie froÌ„ him ioyn theÌ„ selues to the said 2. holy prophets Which son of perdition Antichrist seing his procedings so to be reproued brought into coÌ„teÌ„pt in his fury anger shal kil the 2. Prophets of God And then shal appeare saith Methodius the signe of the comming of the sonne of man and he shall come in the clouds of heauenly glory and shall destroy the enemie with the spirite of his mouth c. Interpretation TO these prophesies testimonies of Methodius what credite it is to be geuen I leaue it to the Reader But if the meaning of his Prophesies goe by such order of times as is set disposed in his booke he semeth to describe vnto vs 4. principall states and alterations of times to come The first state and alteration is by Mahumete and the Saracens which be the ofsprings and sonnes of Ismael comming out of Arabie in the time of Heraclius Emperour of Constantinople An. 630. which rebelling against Heraclius increased preuailed still more more against the Christians both in Asia and Africa and also in many places in Europe especially in Spayne and Italy The seconde state alteration he Prophesieth to come by the Turke which first comming out of the farre partes of Seythia the is out of the North first ouercame the Saracenes subdued the Persians and afterward ioyning together w e the Saracens conquered the kingdome of Hierusalem about the yeare of our Lorde 1187 then subdued Syria and moste part of Asia c. And these be they whych Methodius seemeth to meane of speaking of the vile and miserable people closed vp of the Lord God at the intercession of Alexander the great captaine in the North betwene 2. mountaines the deepâ—â—nosse of 12. cubites wast that filthy corrupt nation shuld pollute the early with their wickednes Wherby are ment those Turkes which comming out froÌ„ the vttermost partes of the North that is out of Scythia and the mountaines of Caucasus or els Ismaels were withholden kept backe of Almighty God for Christes cause that they myght not harme his Church alongspace during the time of xii C. yeares yea and then the sinnes of the Christians so deseruing they were permitted of almighty God to breake out and to inuade the church who nowe ioyning together with the Saracens haue wrought and daily do woorke all these greuances against our Christian brethren as we se this day is come to passe and more is like to folow except the haÌ„d of the Lord which let them out do plucke them in againe Moreouer in the meane space betwene the reigne of the Saracens and the Turks where Methodius speaketh of the R. of Romaines which should restore quietnes to the church should raigne in Hierusalem a sabbate of tunes and halfe a sabbate thereby seemeth to be vnderstand the viage of Christian Princes out of the west partes of Europe vnder Gotfridus Duke of Lotharing his 2. brethren and many other christen Princes with 300. M. footmen and 100. M. horsemen who fighting against the Saracens recouered againe from them the Citie of Hierusalem in the yeare of our Lorde 1099. Which citie before had bene in their possession the terme of 490. yeres After which victory got first Gotfridus then Baldwinus his brother and other after them to the number of 9. Christen kings reigned in Hierusalem the space of 88. yeres and after that through the discord of the Christians not agreeing amoÌ„gst themselues both Hierusalem and Syria with other parts of Asia besides were subdued and wonne of the Turkes whych to this day they keepe yet still And this was in the yeare of our Lord. 1187. About which yeare and time as foloweth in Methodius when the Citie of Hierusalem shall be wonne of the Turkes then shall Antichrist begin to be borne of the tribe of Dan of whom came Iudas Iscarioth and shal be borne in Chorosaim and bredde in Bethsaida and reigne in Capernaum Meaning that this Antichrist or sonne of perdition shal be full of Gods malediction noted by Iudas Iscariothe and these 3. Cities against whome were spoken thrise Vae of the Lord. And heere is moreouer to be noted that Methodius sayth not that Antichrist shall be borne among the Saracens or Turkes but among the people of God and of the tribe of Israel Whereby is to be collected that Antichriste shal not come of the SaraceÌ„s nor Turks but shall spring vs among the Christians and sayeth Methodius shall seeme to come out of the Temple to deceiue many c. whereby the Pope may seeme rather then the Saracene or the Turk to be described for so much as the Pope being elected norished and raigning in the middest of Gods people at Rome sitteth in the temple and very place of Christ and no doubt deceiueth many c. And nowe to come to the time assigned of Methodius here is to be added also that which we read in Antoninus Par. 3. that about this said present time a certaine Bishop of Florence preached that Antichriste was then comming But the pope commanded him to keepe silence to speake no more therof Now why the pope so did why he could not abide the preaching of Antichriste I referre it to them which list to muse more vpon the matter This is certain that about this time heere assigned by Methodius came Petrus Lombardus Gratianus and Pope Innocent the thirde the first authors patrons of traÌ„substantiation At which time also began
mentioned it appeareth by their writings whereof I will recite some of their words which towardes the end be these Quis enim est solus ille peregrinus qui condemnationem haereticoruÌ„ Valdensium ignoret a longe retro annis factam tam famosam taÌ„ publicam tot tantis laboribus expensis sudoribus fidelium insecutam tot mortibus ipsorum infidelium solemniter damnatorum publiceque punitorum tam fortiter sigillatam c. That is Who is such a straunger that knoweth not the condemnation of Ualdenses the heretickes done and past so many yeres ago so famous so publick followed vpon so great labours expences and trauayle of the faythfull and sealed with so many deathes of these Infidelles so solemnelye being condemned and openlye punished Whereby we may see persecution to be no newe thing in the Churche of Christe when Antechrist so long before euen 300. yeares began to rage agaynst these UaldeÌ„ses In Bohemia likewise after that the same called by the name of Thaborites as Siluius recordeth suffred no little trouble But neuer persecution was stirred vp against them or any other people more terrible then was in these latter yeares in Fraunce by the French king an 1545. which lamentable story is described in Sleidan and hereafter in the proces of this booke as we come to the order of yeares shall be set forth by the grace of Christ more at large In the which persecution is declared in one towne Cabriera to be slayne by the Captayne of Sathan Minerius eight huÌ„dred persons at once without respect of women or children of any age Of whome 40. women and most of them great with childe thrust into a barne and the windowes kept with pikes and so fire set to them were all consumed Besides in a caue not farre from the towne Mussium to the number of xxv persons with smoke and fire were the same time destroyed At Merindolum the same tyraunt seing all the rest were fled away finding one yong man caused him to be tyed to an Oliue tree to be destroyed with tormentes most cruelly with much other persecution as may appeare hereafter in the history translated out of Sleidan into English But to returne agayne to higher times from whence we digressed Besides that Rinerius aboue mentioned speaketh of one in the towne of Cheron a glouer which was brought in this time to examinatioÌ„ suffred There is also an olde Monument of proces wherein appeareth 443. brought to examinatioÌ„ in Pomerania Marchia and places there about about the yeare of our Lord 1391. And thus much touching the originall doctrine and the lamentable persecutions of the Ualdenses who as is declared first began about the time of this king Henry the second Other incidences happening in the raigne of this Henry the second COncerning the first origine of WaldeÌ„ses springing in the daies of this king is sufficiently hetherto declared Now remayneth in like order of time to story also such other incidencies as chaunced vnder the raigne of the sayd king not vnworthy to be obserued keeping the order of yâ— time so neare as we may as authors do geue vnto vs. Mary the daughter of king Stephen being the Abbes of Ramessey was maryed in this kinges dayes to Mathew Earle of Bolon which maryage Thomas Becket did worke agaynst and did dissolue by reason whereof he procured him great displeasure with the sayd Earle c. an 1161. Ex Chronico Bibliothecae Cariensis The same yeare a certayne childe was crucified of the Iewes in the towne of Glocester an 1161. Iornalens After the same maner the wicked Iewes had crucified an other child befoâ—e in the City of Norwich in the dayes of Kyng Stephen an 1145. A collection was gathered through all England and Fraunce two pence of euery pound for the succour of the East Christians agaynst the Turkes an 1167. Ex eodem Babilon was taken and destroyed and neuer since repayred by Almaricus king of Hierusalem an 1170. Ex vetusto manuscripto exemplari historiae Cariensis An. 1173. almost all England was diseased with the cough Ex vetusto Chron. acephalo About which yeare also William king of Scots was taken in battayle and imprisoned in England Great warre happened in Palestina wherein the City of Ierusalem with the crosse and the king of the City other of the temple was taken of the Sarasines and most part of the Christians there either slayne or taken Cruell murther and slaughter there was vsed by the Turke who caused all the chief of the ChristiaÌ„s to be brought forth and beheaded before his face In so much that Pope Urbanus the iii. for sorrow dyed Gregory the viii next pope after him liued not 2 monethes TheÌ„ in the dayes of pope Clement iii. newes and sorrow growing dayly for the losse of Palestina and destruction of the Christians K. Henry of England Phillip the french king the duke of Burgundy the Earle of Flaunders the Earle of Campania with diuers other Christian Princes with a generall consent vpon S. Georges day tooke the marke of the crosse vpon theÌ„ promising together to take their voyage into the holy land At which tyme the storyes say the king of England receiued first the redde crosse the French king tooke the white crosse the Earle of Flaunders the greene crosse so other princes diuersly diuers coulors therby to be discerned euery one by his proper crosse But king Henry after the three yeres were expired in which he promised to performe his voyage sent to the Pope for further delay of his promise offering for the same to erect three Monasteries Which thing he thus performed In the Church of Waltham he thrust out the seculer Priestes and set in Monkes for them Secondly he repayred agayne brought in the Nunnes of Amesbury which before were excluded for theyr incontinent life And thus performed he his promise made before to the Pope an 1173. The king of Scots did his homage and alleageauÌ„ce to the King of England and to his sonne and to his chiefe Lordes promising that all the Earles and BaroÌ„s of scotland should do the like with theyr posterity Item all the Byshops and Abbots of the Church of Scotland promised subiection and submission to the Archbishop of Yorke an 1175. Nic. Triuet The custome was in this realme that if any had killed any Clerke or Priest he was not to be punished with the temporall sword but onely excommunicate seÌ„t to Rome for the Popes grace and absolution Which custome in the dayes of this king began first to be altered by the procurement of Richard Archbishop of Caunterbury an 1176. Triuet London bridge first began to be made of stone by one Peter Priest of Colechurch an 1176. Ex Chron. cuius initiuÌ„ In diebus sanctis regis Edouardi c. ex Bibliot Cariensi S. William of Paris was slain of the Iewes on
so returned they frustrate of their intent The purpose of the Soldan was if he might haue gotten Damiata to send the French king hyer vp in the East countries to Calipha the chiefe Pope of Damascus to encrease the tytles of Mahomet and to be a spectacle or gasing stocke to all those quarters of the worlde The maner of which Calipha was neuer left to any Christen prisoner come out whosoeuer came once in his handes But for somuch as the Soldan missed hys purpose he thought by aduise of counsell to vse the kinges lyfe for hys owne aduauntage in recouering the city of Damiata as in the end it came to passe For although the king at the first was greatly vnwilling and had rather die then surrender Damiata againe to the Saracens yet the conclusion so fel out that the king was put to hys raunsome and the Citty of Damiata was also resigned which citty being twise won and twise lost by the Christians the Soldan or Saladine afterward caused vtterly to be rased downe to the ground The raunsome of the king vppon condition that the Soldan should see himselfe conducted to Achon which I take to be Cesaria came to 60000. markes The number of Frenchmen and others which miscaryed in that warre by water and by land came to 80000 persons tHaec Mat. Parisi fol. 237.238 And thus haue ye the briefe narration of this lamentable peregrination of Lewes the French kyng In whiche when the French men beyng once or twise well offered by the Soldan to haue all the kingdome of Ierusalem and much more in free possession they not contented with that which was reasonable and sufficient for greedines to haue all lost all hauing at length no more then ther naked bodies could couer lying dead vpoÌ„ the ground al through the originall cause of the Pope and Ddo hys Legate By whole sinister meanes and pestilent pride not only the liues of so many Christians were then lost but also to the sayd Pope is to be imputed all the losse of other citties Christian regions bordering in the same quarters for aâ—muche as by the occasion hereof the hartes of the Saracens on yâ— one side were so encouraged the courage of the christias on the other side so much discomfited that in short space after both the dominion of Antioch and of Achon with all other possessions belonging to the Christians were lost to the great diminishing of Christes Church During the tyme of this good king lying at Achonâ—or Celaria almighty God sent such discorde betwene that Soldan of Halapia and the SoldaÌ„ of Babilon for letting the king so escape that the sayd Soldan or Salidin of Babilon to winne the king vnto hys syde entred league with him whome both hys brethren and all his nobles almost at home had forsaken and remitted hys raunsome and also restored vnto hym such prisoners as were in the sayde battayle fouÌ„d to be aliue Thus the Lord worketh where man commonly forsaketh Math Paris fol. 261. An other cause moreouer why the ruine of this French army may worthely be impured to the Pope is this for that wheÌ„ Lewes the French king perceauing what a necessary frend and helper Fredericke the Emperour might be to hym in these his affayres agaynst the Saracens and therfore was an earnest suter for him to the Pope to haue hym released yet neyther he nor the king of Englande by any meanes could obtayne it And although the Emperor himselfe offred to pope Innocent with all humble submission to make satisfaction in the Councell of Lyons promising also to expugne all the dominions of the Saracens and neuer to returne into Europe agayn and there to recouer whatsoeuer the Christians had lost so that the pope would onely grauÌ„t his sonne Henry to be Emperoure after him yet the proud pope woulde not be mollified but would needes proceede agaynst hym with both swordes that is first with the spirituall sword to accurse hym and then with the temporall sword to depose him froÌ„ his Emperial throne Through the occasion wherof not onely the French kinges power went to wracke but also such a fire of mischiefe was kindled agaynst all Christendome as yet to this day cannot be quenched For after this ouerthrowe of the French king and his army the Christians of Antioch and of other Christen regions theraboutes being vtterly discouraged gaue ouer there holdes and Citties Whereby the Saracens and after them the Turkes got such an hand ouer ChristeÌ„dome as to this day we al haue great cause to rue and lament Besides this where diuers Christians were crossed to go ouer and helpe the Frenche king the pope for mony dispensed with them to tary still at home But as I sayd the greatest cause was that the Emperour whiche coulde haue done most was deposed by the Popes tyranny whereby all those Churches in Asia were left desolate As touching the whiche Emperour Fredericke because we haue diuers and sundry tymes made meÌ„tion of him before and for that his story is straunge hys actes wonderous and his conflictes tragicall whiche he sustayned agaynst iiii or v. Popes one after an other I thought not out of story in a whole narration to set forth the same for the reader to consider what is to be iudged of this Cathedrall Sea of Rome which had wrought such abhominable mischiefe in the world as in the sequele of the story following faythfully translated out of Latiue into English is to be seene The whole tragicall history of Fredericke 2. Emperor translated out of the Latine booke of Nich. Cisnerus FRedericke the second came out of the auncient house of the Beblines or Gibillines which Gibillines came of the most famous stocke of the Frenche king and Emperours He had Fredericke Barbarossa to hys Graundfather whose sonne Henricus the 6. was Emperoure after hym who of ConstaÌ„tia the daughter or as some write the neece of Roger the first king of Sicile begate this Fredericke the second This Constantia was 50. yeares of age before she was conceaued with him whom the Emperour Henry 6. to auoyde all doubt and surmise that of her conception childing might be thought and to the peril of the Empeir ensue caused hys regall tent to be pitched abroade in place where euery man might resort And when the tyme of his Queenes trauaile approched Constantia in presence of diuers Ladyes and Matrons and other Gentle women of the Empire a great number was brought a bed and deliuered of this Fredericke the vii day before the Calendes of January in the yeare of Christes incarnation 1193. who by inheritaunce was king of Naples Apuha Calabria and Sicilia Henricus his father shortly after he was borne obtayned of the princes electors that by their oth to hun geuen they would chuse his sonne Fredericke for their Emperor after his discease and so did and immediately called hym Cesar being yet but in his cradle This Henry when he
into his owne handes by whose meanes the sayd Gemes afterwarde was poysoned as is in maner before expressed Unto these poysoned actes of the Pope let vs also adioin his malicious wickednes with like fury exercised vpoÌ„ Antonius Mancinellus which Mancinellus being a maÌ„ of excellent learning because he wrote an eloqueÌ„t oratioÌ„ against his wicked maners filthy life with other vices he therfore commaunded both his hands his tong to be cut of playing much like with him as Antonius the tirant once did with M. Cicero for writing agaynst his horrible life At length as one poyson requireth another this poysoned Pope as he was sitting with his Cardinals other rych Senatours of Rome at dinner his seruauntes vuwares brought to him a wrong bottell wherewith he was poysoned and his Cardinals about him In the time of this Pope Alexander also it happened whiche is not to bee pretermitted how that the Aungell whiche stood in the high toppe of the Popes Churche was beaten downe with a terrible thunder which thing semed then to declare the ruine and fall of the Popedome After this Pope next succeded Pius the 3. about the yeare of our Lord 1503. After whome came next Iulius the second a man so farre passing all other in iniquity that Wicelius such other of his owne friendes writing of him are compelled to say of him Marti illum quam Christo deditiorem fuisse that is that he was more geuen to warre and battayle then to Christ. Concerning the madnesse of this man thys is most certaynely knowne that at what time he was going to warre he cast the keyes of S. Peter into the riuer of Tybris sayinge that for as much as the keyes of Peter would not serue him to his purpose he woulde take himselfe to the sword of Paule Wherupon Philip MelancthoÌ„ amongest many other writing vpon the same maketh this Epigrame Cum contra Gaellos bellum papa Iulius esset Gesturus sicút fama â—etusta docet Ingentes martis turmas contraxit â—rbem Egâ—essus saeuas edidit ore minas Iratus'que sacras claues in flumina iecit Tibridis hic â—rbi pons â—bi iungit aquas Inde manustrictum Gagina diripit ensem Exclamans'que truci talia â—ocerefert Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendet ab hoste Quandoquidem clauis nil iuuat ista Petri. Whereupon also Gilbert Ducherius maketh this Epigrame In Gallum â—â— fama est bellum gesturus acerbum Armatum educit Iulius â—rbe manum Accinctus gladio claues in Tibridis amnem Proÿcit soeuus talia â—erba faecit Quum Petrinihil efficiant ad praelia claeues Auxilio Pauli forsitan ensis erit ¶ The sense of these Epigrammes in English is this When Iulius Pope agaynst the French determined to make warre As fame reportes he gathered vp great troupes of men from farre And to the bridge of Tybur then marching as he were wood His holy keyes he tooke and cast them downe into the floud And afterward into his hand he tooke a naked sword And shaking it brake forth into this fierce and warlike word This sword of Paule quoth he shall now defend vs from our foe Since that this key of Peter doth nothing auay le thereto Of this Iulius it is certaynely reported that partly with his warres partly with his cursinges within the space of 7 yeares as good as 200000. Christians were destroyed Fyrst he besieged Rauenna agaynste the Uenetians then Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuium Bononia and other cities which he gate out of Princes handes not with out much bloudshed The Chronicles of Iohn Steban maketh mention that when this Iulius was made Pope he tooke an oathe promising to haue a Councell within two yeares but when he had no leysure thereunto being occupyed with his warres in Italy amoÌ„g the Uenetians and with the French king and in Ferraria and in other countryes 9. of his Cardinalles departing from him came to Millayne and there appoynted a Councell at the Citty of Pise amongest whome the chiefe were Bernardus Cruceius Gulielmus Prenestinus Franciscus CoÌ„stantinus with diuers others amongest whome also were adioyned the Procuratours of Maximilian the Emperour and of Charles the French king So the Councell was appoynted the yeare of our Lord 1511. to begin in the Kalendes of September The cause why they did so call this Councell was thus alledged because the Pope had so brokeÌ„ his oth and all this while he gaue no hope to haue any councell also because there were diuers other crimes whereupoÌ„ they had to accuse him Theyr purpose was to remoue him out of his seat the which he had procured through bribes and ambition Iulius hearing this geueth out contrary commaundement vnder great payne no man to obey them calleth himselfe another councell agaynst the next yeare to be begon the 19. day of Aprill The French king vnderstading Pope Iulius to ioyne with the Uenetians and so to take theyr part agaynst him couented a councell at Thurin in the month of September in the which councel these questions were proposed Whether it was lawfull for the Pope to moue warre agaynst any prince without cause Whether any Prince in defending himselfe might inuade his aduersary and deny his obedience Unto the which questions it was answered that neither the bishop ought to inuade and also that it was lawfull for the king to defende himselfe Moreouer that the Pragmaticall sanction was to bee obserued thorowe the realme of Fraunce Neyther that any vniust excommunications ought to be feared if they were founde to be vniust After this the king sent vnto Iulius the aunswere of his councell requiring him either to agree to peace or to appoynt a generalll Councell some other where where thys matter myght bee more fully decided Iulius woulde neyther of both these but forthwith accursed Charles the French king with all his kingdome At the lenth at Rauenna in a great war he was ouercome by the freÌ„ch king and at last after much slaughter and great bloudshed and mortall warre this Pope dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 1513. the 21. day of February If it were not that I feare to ouerlay this our volume with heapes of foreigne historyes which haue professed chiefly to entreat of Actes and Monuments here done at home I woulde adioine after these popes aboue rehearsed some discourse also of the Turkes story of theyr rising and cruell persecution of the sayâ—tes of God to the great anoiance and perill of Christendome yet notwithstanding certayne causes there be which necessarily require the knowledge of theyr order and doinges and of theyr wicked procedings theyr cruell tyranny and bloudy victories the ruine subuersion of so many Christen Churches with the horrycle murders and captiuiâ—ye of infinite Christians to bee made playne and manifest as well to this our countrey of England as also to other nations First for the better explayning of the Prophecies of the new Testament as
had lost and that he should desist heereafter from all wrongs and iniuries against the Christians Upon these conditions the Turke being agreed so was truce concluded on both parts for tenne yeares and with solemne othe betweene them confirmed This done Amurathes the tyraunt addresseth himselfe toward Asia to resist the inuasion of Caramannus aforesaid At what time Pope Eugenius so soone as he heard the Turke to be returned into Asia sendeth Iulianus Caesarianus his Cardinall whose story is before touched page 683. vnto Ladislaus the foresaid king with full dispensation and absolution to breake his othe and league wyth the Turke promising moreouer great hope of aide if he would go in armes stoutly against the tirant ¶ Where by the way is to be noted that as there is no truth of promise in that pestilēt sea of Rome neither was there euer any war prospered which was taken in hande by the Popes counsaile so was there neuer any counsaile of the Pope that brought with it more detriment to Christianitie then this But the Pope belike thought that as he might lawfully breake promise with Iohn Hus and with other Christians so also he needed not to obserue anye league or truce taken with the Turke but it turned much otherwise then the Popes blinde braines imagined as by the sequele is to be seene For Ladislaus being thus excited by the vnaduised and sinister instigation of Pope Eugenius contrary to the truce stablished a little before set out with his army from Seledinus and so proceeding to Walachia and Burgaria came to Uarna a towne of Bulgary where he fell sicke It was not long but the Turke hauing thereof intelligence left his warres begon with Caramannus in Asia and with great iourneis made haste into Europe passing ouer by the straites neare to Calipolis where all the Italian nauy still looking on and whether of purpose or whether for cowardlines would not stirre one ore to stop the passage of the Turkish army When Amurathes was come to Adrianopolis in Thrasia vsing such celeritie as no mā looked for within viij daies he was in Burgaria there encamped himselfe against Ladislaus The day of battaile being set the armies ioined on both sides Huniades was himself there present but all the matter was ruled by Iulianus the Cardinall and the Popes Clergy The fight cōtinued three daies and three nightes together with great courage much bloudshed on each side insomuch that the field did stand with lakes of bloud They semed at the first to incline to the Christians by breaking the first ranks of the Turkes But the Priests and Prelates which were at the field which had bene more fitte to haue bene in the Church seeing the Turkes to begin to flie vnskilfully left their array to pursue the enemy so that they leauing the other standings of the Christians naked gaue great aduantage to the Turks with their darts shot to disturbe the Christian rankes By the which occasion Amurathes inclosing the Christiās with his army roūd about obteined the victory In the which field Ladislaus the yong king of Polony hauing his horse first killed vnder him was strooken downe slaine The Popes Bishops flieng to saue themselues fell into the marishes and there were destroied susteining a durtey death condigne to their filthy falshode and vntruth Iulianus the Cardinall which with the Pope was the chiefe doer in breaking the league in the way was found dead being full of wounds and spoiled to his naked skinne Of the rest of the army that escaped by flieng part was drowned in the marishes some perished miserably for hunger some for cold watching wādering in the woods Huniades hardly escaped the danger by the mercifull prouidence of God being reserued to the further profite and commoditie of Christendome This Iohn Huniades the worthy warrier was borne in Walachia being Earle of Bistrice of all Captaines that euer went against the Turkes most famous singular prudent in wit discret in counsaile expert and politike in warre prompt of hand circumspect before he attempted quicke in expedition in whom wāted almost no good propertie requisite in a warlike Captaine Against two most mighty and fierce tirants Amurathes and Mahumetes through the Lords might he defended all Pannonia and therefore was called the thunderbolt and terrour of the Turkes Like as Achilles was vnto the Grecians so was he set vp of God to be as a wal or bulwarke of al Europe against the cruell Turkes and enemies of Christ and of his Christians Neither was there any King or Prince that euer achieued such noble victories either so many in number or so profitable for the publique vtilitie of all Europe as did he and that not onely in the daies of this Amurathes but also of Mahumetes his successour as heereafter remaineth further to be seene This battaile of Amurathes against the Christians at Uarna in Bulgaria was fought in the yeare of our Lord 1404. Amurathes by reason of this victorious ouerthrow againste the Christians surprised with no small pride directed his iourney incontinent toward the Grecians where Castriotus was otherwise called Scanderbcius And first commyng to Peloponesus and breaking downe the wall about the straits of Corinthe encoūtred with the brother of the Emperour of Constantinople whom with his sodeine commyng he oppressed with all the Greekes army ere they were prouided Paleologus the Emperour after that did build vp the wall againe but at the Turkes biddyng he was cōpelled to vndoe it agayne which wall afterward the Uenetians did repayre After the demolitiō of the wall Amurathes entring into Peloponesus tooke diuers townes and Cities as Sycione and Patris and moreouer made all the parts of Thessalia and Achaia tributaries vnto him The next yeare after this battaile of Amurathes fought agaynst the Christians at Uarna the Turke beyng now about the partes of Grecia purposed to bend all his force and mayne agaynst the countrey of Epyrus belongyng to Georgius Castriotus Scanderheius Of this Scanderbeius mētion was made before how he was brought vp in the Turkes Court from whence we declared also how subtillie he conueyed him selfe and came to the possession of his owne patrimony of Epyrus Which Epirus this noble and victorious Scanderbeius whom the Lord also had raysed vp the same tyme with Huniades to bridle the fury of the Turkes valiaūtly defended agaynst all the power of Amurathes In so much that he discomfited and vanquished vij of the most expert Bassas or Dukes of the Ottomā Emperour one after an other with all their armies of most piked and chosen souldiours dislodged them of their tentes and expulsed them vtterly out of all Epyrus Also when Amurathes himselfe with his whole puissaunce had enuironed about the Citie of Croia with cruell siege and ordinaunce out of measure yet notwithstandyng the sayd Scāderbeius through the power and blessing of the Lord beate him out of the field repulsed him from his
siege After this discomfiture the saying is that Amurathes to keepe his vow made before after his victory at Uarna gaue himselfe into a religious order liuyng a contemplatiue life with certaine other Priestes ioyned vnto him in the forest of Bithynia renouncing the gouernement of his realme to the handes of Haly one of his Princes for thou must vnderstaÌ„d good Reader that the Turkes also be not without their sondry sectes of Religion no more then we Christians are without our Friers and Monkes In the meane tyme while Amurathes this Turkishe tyraÌ„ne was cloystered vp in his Monkish Religion Ioannes Huniades in the kyngdome of Hungary and Castriotus Scanderbeius in Grecia kept great styâ—re against the Turkes By reason wherof Amurathes was takeÌ„ againe from his Monkish vow and profession brought agayne into the field For first Huniades had rescued the whole couÌ„trey of Hungary and had propulsed moreouer all the might of the Turkes farre froÌ„ Seruia And although the peuishe practise of Grgins Prince of Servia had oft tymes disclosed his counsailes vnto the Turkes whereby twise he was brought in daunger yet notwithstandyng through the Lordes gracious protection he was preserued and deliuered by the sayd George vnto the Hungarians agayne after that manfully vaÌ„quished the Turkes so that they had no resting place about those parts of Seruia and Bulgaria so long as he liued On the other side in Grecia Castriotus ScaÌ„derbeius so foyled the Turke in defence of his couÌ„trey Epirus and Macedonia and kept Amurathes so short that not ouely he was not able to wynne any great Towne in all Epyrus but also commyng from Epyrus in the straites was so intaÌ„gled by Castriotus that he was forced to geue battaile In the which battaile he was so vanquished most part of his army slayne that for grief and sorrow conceaued he fallyng into a rauyng sicknesse was traÌ„sported out of his pauillon vnto Adrianople and there in fury madnesse dyed after he had reigned 34. yeares which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1450. This Amurathes first ordained the order of Ianizarites Which were the men children of such Christians as he conquered tooke captiue whom he forced to renounce the faith of Christ wherein they were Baptized brought them vp in Mahumetes law exercised them in the same feates of warre as he did his owne people and after that they came to mens estate he named them Ianizari that is to say souldiours of a straunge countrey and made them to garde his person They weare on their head is stead of an helmet a white attire made of the grossest sort of woll and in so manifolde aboute their head that it can not bee pierced with a sword It haÌ„geth downe on the backe with a taile and before on the forehead it is garnished with golde and siluer They were woont to vse bowes and launces in the fielde but nowe they vse dagges as oure horsemen do At the first institution there were but 8000. in theyr garrison but now they be twise so many This of all bondage and seruitude that the Christians suffer vnder the Turke is most intollerable and greatly to be of all true Christians lamented For what can godly mindes behold more to their griefe then to see their children pulled from the faith of Christ wherein they were baptised and by whose bloud they should eternally be saued and to be instructed and nourished with the blasphemous doctrine of Mahumet and to be professed enemies of Christ and hys Churche to make warre against heauen and to perish euerlastingly And finally what a lamentable thing is it to see and beholde our owne children borne of our owne bodies to become our mortall and cruell enemies and to cut our throtes with their owne hands This seruitude of minde is farre greater then death it selfe which if oure Princes would well consider it would cause them the rather to agree and bende their whole force and power against this cruell enemy ¶ Mahumetes second the ix after Ottomanus AMurathes left behind him three sonnes Mahumete borne of the daughter of Despota Prince of Seruia being twentie yeares of age the second sonne called Turcines the third named Calepinus This Turcines being an infant and but eighteene moneths old was strangled at the commandement of the Turke by his seruant Moses himselfe being there present and beholding the horrible murther And when Moses the executour of the murther had desired him not to pollute his handes with the bloud of his brother he answered that it was the manner of all the Ottoman Turkes that all the other breethren being destroied none should be lefte aliue but one to gonerue the Empire Wherefore Moses was commaunded by the tirant there presently and in his sight to kill the infant This horrible fact when the mother of the childe vnderstoode she crieng out and almost mad for sorrowe cursed the tirant to his face But he to mitigate the rage of his mother at her request being desirous to be reuenged vpon the executour of her sonnes death deliuered the said Moses bound into her hands who then in the presence of the tirant thrust him to the hart with a knife and opening his side tooke out his liuer and threw it to the dogges to be deuoured The third sonne called Calepinus which was but sixe moneths old the foresaid Amurathes his father commended to the custody of Halibassa one of his Nobles who to gratifie and please the tirant betraied the infant brought him vnto him and thereupon he at the tirants commandement was strangled Some affirme that in the stead of Calepinus another child was offered vnto the tirant and that Calepinus was conueied to Constantinople and after the taking of Constantinople was caried to Uenice and then to Rome to Pope Calixt where he was baptised and afterward came into Germany to Fridericke the Emperour and there was honorably enterteined kept in Austrich during his life Where note how the mercifull prouidence of God whom he list to saue can fetch out of the diuels mouth And note moreouer touching the foresayde Halibassa the betraier of the infant how he escaped not vnreueÌ„ged For Mahumet vnderstanding him to be a man of great substance and richesse thorough forging of false crimes with great torments put him to death to haue his richesse for this tirant was geuen to insatiable auarice Thus this bloudy Mahumete began his regiment with horrible murther after the example of other cursed tirants his predecessours Although this Mahumete notwithstandyng that hee came of a Christen mother being the daughter of Despota prince of Seruia and by her was brought vp and instructed from his childhood in the precepts of Christian religioÌ„ and maners yet he soone forgetting all gaue himselfe to Mahumetes religion and yet so that he being addicted to neyther Religion became an Atheist beleeuing and worshipping no God at all but onely the Goddesse of
Constantinus the sonne of Helena was the first Emperour of Constantinople so Constantinus the sonne also of Helena was the last Emperour thereof Not farre from the said Citie of Constantinople there was another little City called Pera once called Gallatia situated by the Sea side who hearing of the miserable destruction of Constantinople and seing the City flaming with fire sent certain of their chiesmeÌ„ with speed to Mahumete declaring vnto him that they neither had sent any helpe to the City of Constantinople neither yet wrought any detrimeÌ„t to any of his army wherefore they desired praied him that as they would gladly yeeld vnto him so he would be fauourable vnto theÌ„ and spare them not to punish the giltles with the gilty Mahumete although he was not ignoraunt that for feare rather then of any good will they submitted themselues and that they would rather resist him if they had ben able yet he receiued for that time the submission of the messengers but sending wyth them his Embassadour into the Citie he commanded also his army to follow withall and to enter with him into the City which although it was greatly suspected mâ—sliked of the Citizens yet they durst no otherwise do but suffer them to enter which beeing done the Embassadour gaue a signe to the souldiours euery man to do whatsoeuer he was bidden of whom some ranne to the walles some to the temples and Churches some to yâ— streetes houses of the City plucking all things downe to the grounde sacking and rauÌ„ging with no lesse fury and abhominable filthines then they had done at CoÌ„stantinople before sauing only that they absteined froÌ„ murther but the same day letters came from Mahumete to the Embassadour that he should spare none but destroy and murther all that euer were in the Citie which message because it seemed to the Embassadour to be too cruell forsomuch as they had yeelded theÌ„selues he staied his hand a little vntill night came In the meane time drunken Mahumete comming something to himselfe whome drunkennes had before ouercome sent his second letters to reuoke the first Where againe is to be noted the mercifull prouidence of God towardes his people in their deserued plagues by staieng the handes and brideling the fury many times of their enemies when otherwise the case seemeth to be past all remedy Mahumete thus beeing in himselfe not a little aduanced and eleuated by the winning of CoÌ„stantinople where he had now made the Imperiall seat of the Turkish dominion the third yeare next folowing to adueÌ„ture more masteries he set out to yâ— siege of Belgradum a City of Hungary lieng neare to the bankes of Danubius thinking to haue the like successe there as he had in the winning of Constantinople albeit through the Lords disposing it sel out much otherwise Within the Citie of Belgradum the same time of the siege thereof was Ioannes Huniades the valiant Captaine of whom in diuers places mentioÌ„ hath bene made before who with a sufficient strength of piked souldiours albeit in number nothing equal to the Turks army valiaÌ„tly defended the City with great courage and no lesse successe In the which siege great diligeÌ„ce was bestowed and many of the Turkes slaine AmoÌ„g whom also Mahumere himselfe being stroken with a pellet vnder the left arme was faine to be caried out of the field for halfe dead and the rest so put to flight that of the Turkes the same time were destroyed to the number or not much vnder the number of 40. thousaÌ„d besides the losse of all their ordinaunce which the Turkes in hast of their flight were forced to leaue behinde them Hieronymus Zieglerus writyng of the siege of this Belgradum addeth moreouer that wheÌ„ Mahumete was at the siege therof seyng the towne to be so small wâ—ake of it selfe that it could not be won with all his great multitude he staryng and faryng like a mad man commaunded all his brasen peeces to be layd to battare downe the walles and Towers of the Towne So that the Christians within the walles were vehemently distressed for the siege continued both night and day without intermission AmoÌ„g the rest of the Christians which defended the towne Hieronymus Zieglerus maketh mentioÌ„ of a certaine Bohemian much worthy of his condigne coÌ„mendation Who beyng vpon the walles and seyng a Turke with a baÌ„ner or ensigne of the Turkes to be gotteÌ„ vp by the sight wher of the whole Towne was in daunger to be coÌ„quered and taken runneth vnto the Turke and claspyng him about the middle speakyng to Iohn Capistranus standyng by low asking him whether it were any daunger of damnation to him if he of his voluntary mynde did cast himselfe with that dogge so he termed him downe headlong from the wall to be slayne with him what should become of his soule and whether he might be saued or not To whoÌ„ when the other had aunswered that hee should be saued without doubt hee estsoones tombleth him selfe with the Turke downe of the wall where by his death he saued the same tyme the lyfe of all the Citie Mahumete beyng so wounded and in dispayre of wynnyng the Citie was caryed as ye heard out of the field Who at length commyng agayne to himselfe partly for feare and partly for shame was ready to kill himselfe And thus was the towne of Belgradum at that tyme rescued through Gods prouidence by the meanes of Ioannes Hunianes and this good Bohemian This siege of BelgraduÌ„ begaÌ„ in the yeare of the Lord. 1456. and endured 46. dayes At the which siege were nuÌ„bred of the Turkes 200. thousand Of whom more then 40. thousand as is aforesayd were slayne where the victory fell to the Christians through the prosperous successe geuen of God to Ioannes Huniades Capistranus Which Huniades not long after the sayd victory through the importune labour and trauaile in defendyng the sayd towne was taken with a sore sickenesse and thereof departed to whose valiaunt prowes and singular courage stories doe geue great land and commendation Mahumetes the Turke after this done in Europe returned into Asia to warre with Vsumcassanes a Persian one of the Turkes stocke with whoÌ„ he had three battailes The first was about the Riuer Euphrates where the Turke lost 10. thousand men and was put to the worse In the second field likewise he was discomsited The third battaile was at ArseÌ„ga where through the terrible noyse of the brasen peeces the Persian horses disturbed the caÌ„pe and so was Vsumcassanues ouercome From thence the Turke reduced agayne his power against the Christians and first subdued vnto him Synope and all Paphlagonia Also the kingdome of Trapezunce which he besiegyng both by land and water wanne from the Christians and sent Dauid the kyng of the same with his two sonnes and Calus his vncle vnto Constantinople where they were miserably and cruelly put to death all the stocke of the
Conneni which were of the kynges stocke by the Turke were destroyed Whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 1459. at which tyme this mischieuous Mahumete was first saluted Emperour Not long after he got from the Grecians Corinthus and Mitylene not without great slaughter of Christen men in somuch that the whole Citie of Mitylene was vtterly to the grounde almost destroyed The Isles also of Lemnus Lesbos he wanne from the Venetians In the which Ilād of Lesbos is the Citie of Mitylene aforesayd Not farre frō this I le of Lesbos and Mitylene there is a countrey in Asia toward the sea side borderyng next to Europe called Mysia or of some called Moesia wherein stode the Citie of Troye This countrey Mahumete coueting to wynne rather by policie falshode then by doubtfull daunger of warre secretly sent for the Prince therof to come to speake with him for certaine causes as he pretended which should concerne the profite and commoditie of thē both Which when the king of Mysia either for shame would not or for feare durst not denye he came to him as to conferre vpon necessary affaires in commō to them appertaining Mahumete when he had brought that to passe which he would he caused the king to be apprehended and cruelly to be slaine or rather torne in peeces and so inuading the land of Misia exercised the like tyrannie vpō all his kindred and affinitie This Misia by fraude being taken and lost Mahumere flieth againe toward Europe where he assailed the Iland Euboia otherwise called Nigroponte making a bridge of a marueilous frame ouer the sea Euripus to conuey ouer his army out of Grecia and there laide his siege to the Citie Chalcis which at length in thirty dayes he ouercame not without a great slaughter of his army who in the siege thereof is said to haue lost 40. thousand of the Turkes But the slaughter of the Christians was greater for when the City was won the tirant commanded most cruelly none to be spared within the whole citie but to be put to the sword whosoeuer was aboue the age of twenty yeares This cruelty was shewed of the barbarous Tirant for anger and fury because such a number of his Turkes were slaine at the siege therof being reckned as is said to 40. thousand In the fierce siege of this Citie it is memorable that is in stories recorded how that the women of that Citie seeing the men to begin to faint and the Citie to lie in present danger tooke the matter themselues in hand and plaieng the men went to the walles and there defended the Citie with no lesse trouble to the enemie then the men had before done and so for a space continued so long as any mans strength and diligence could do anie good A great cause of the losse of this Citie and Iland is imputed to the cowardly timidity of the Venetians nauy who being there present and hauing prosperous winde yet durst not or would not aduenture vpon the Turkes bridge which if they had done the Iland of Euboia and Chalcis had not so soone bin ouermatched of the Turks Thus all the East partes of Grecia being subdued to the Turkish tiraunt with all Achaia Attica Acarnania Euboia shortly after folowed also Peloponesus brought in like subiection to the Turke Within this Peloponesus were these prouinces conteined Achaia Messenia Laconia Argolica and Archadia c. The Venetiās in this Peloponesus had great possessions and had made vp the wall againe toward the Sea side neare to the streites of Corinth before mentioned where for the more speede of the worke they had 30. thousand workemen to the building thereof which when it came to the knowledge of the Turke he brast into the countrey of Peloponesus wyth an army of 80. thousand and first wasting the regions of the Coroneans and Methoneans and making a greate slaughter of the Venetians in short time he brought the whole dominiō of Peloponesus vnder his yoke tribute Long it is and more lamentable to recite all the victories of this Mahumete gotten against the Christiās both by land sea who after he had ouercome the Ile Lesbos aboue mentioned and had cruelly slaine Nicolaus Catalusius the Prince thereof turning his army towarde the sea of Pontus Euxinus got the countrey of Capha from the Genuans Before was declared how truce was taken betweene Georgius Scanderbeius and the Turke for ten yeares which truce being expired Mahumete leaueth no time vnspēt no diligence vnsought but maketh all his power to Epyrus Albania which he after long fatigation of siege at length ouercame and subdued In y◠which tract also he wanne from the Venetians Scodra Lysson and Dinastrum Notwithstanding when Scanderbeius the valiant Captaine had done against the Turke what in mans strength did lie yet being ouermatched with power and multitude seeing no possibilitie to make his partie good was forced to depart his countrey as an exile and went to Italy there being sent for by y◠Popes letters openly declared not to be possible otherwise to resist the furious rage of the barbarous Turkes by the strength of any one king or prince vnlesse all Europe with one cōsent shuld ioine their power force together And thus Georgius Scanderbeius a man of puissant courage being driuen out of his countrey continued his age in exile Whose courage vehemency is reported to haue bin such that in fighting against y◠barbarous enemie for very egernes of spirit his bloud was seene to burst out of his lippes It is testified also of him that being prouoked he neither denied to fight and in his fighting neuer turned his backe neyther yet was euer wounded but onely once with a lyght shaft in his foote neither euer set against the Turke wyth moe then 6000. horsemen and 3000. footemen who is said with his owne hand to haue slaine aboue 2000. Turkes whome with such violence he did strike that many of thē he did cleane asunder from the head to the middle Neither yet was the vnsatiable greedines of thys Turkish helbound with all this satisfied but still he conceiued greater things in his minde thynking to conquere the whole world and so passing forward towards Europe subdued all Illiria slaieng Stephanus the King of Bosna about the yeare of our Lord 1463. But afterwarde Mathias Coruinus the sonne of Huniades afore mentioned recouered againe the said kingdome of Bosna with many other Cities neare vnto Croacia and Dalmatia and moreouer repulsed Mahumete the Turke in his second siege of Iaiza taking his tents and munitions lefte behinde him Moreouer the sayd Mahumete passing vnto Walachia set vpon Dracula the Prince thereof by which Dracula although he had no great power of souldiours yet he so inclosed enuironed the Turke that he had almost lost his whole army of whom a great part notwithstanding was destroied and many of his ensignes taken Into Dalmatia
was sent two Captaines of the Turke who fighting against the prouinces of the Venetians made great spoyle and waste about the regions of Stiria Carinthia where also the Venetian power was discomfited Hieronimus Nouell their Captaine slaine At length truce was taken betweene the Turke the Venetians vpon this conditioÌ„ that Scodra Tenarus Lemnus should be yeelded vnto him and that they shoulde pay to him yearely 8. thousand duckets for the free passage of their Marchants After this peace concluded with the Venetians Mahumete himselfe saileth ouer into Asia sending two of his great captaines abroad to sundry places of whom Mesithes was sent against the Rhodes with a mighty nauie The other called Acomates Bassa was sent into Italy to take Rome and all the West Empire Concerning the viage of which two Captaines this was the euent that Mesithes after his great trauaile and bloudy siege against the Rhodians was faine to retire at length with great shame and losse The other Captaine Acomates as is said was sent into Italy with a nauie of a hundreth Ships and fifteene thousand men who by the way in his sailing got Leucadia which now they call S. Maure Cephalenia and Zacynthus and sayling by Fauelona arriued in Apulia and so passing along by the sea side spoiled and wasted diuers parts by the coast till at length he came to Hidruntum a City of Calabria in Italy which after long siege he ouercame and subdued and brought such a terrour into all Italy that the Pope forgetting all other things yet mindfull of himselfe with all haste fled out of Rome After the Citie of Hydruntum was taken and the Turkes placed in the same which was the yeare of our Lord 1481. Mathias Coruinus Huniades son was sent for by the Italians to set vpon the said Citie vnto the rescue whereof when Acomates was about to make his returne with 25. thousand Turkes in the meane time newes came that Mahumete the great Turke was dead by reason wherof the siege brake vp and yâ— Citie was deliuered to the Italians againe and so was Italy deliuered at that time out of that present perill and dauÌ„ger This Mahumete wanne from the Christians 200. Cities and twelue kingdomes and two Empires which he ioined both together He died in the yeare abouesayd anno 1481. ¶ Baiazetes second the 10. after Ottomannus MAhumetes aforesaid had three sonnes of the which Mustapha the eldest through voluptuousnes carnall iust died before his father The other two were Baiazetes and Demes otherwise called Zizimus Aboute whom great coÌ„trouersie arose amongst the Turks which of them should succeede in their fathers kingdome For neither of them was present at Constantinople wheÌ„ Mahumetes died Baiazetes being in Cappadocia Demes in Lycaonia wherfore when great disscution was amoÌ„g the nobles for the succession and great strife bloudshead for the matter the Ianizarites which were the Turkes garde did proclaime Baiazetes Emperour others in the absence of Baiazetes the father did choose Corcuthus his sonne Baiazetes the father coÌ„ming at length from Cappadocia partly through yelding partly by corrupting with money got the wils of the Ianizarites was made Emperour Demes the other brother being in Lycaonia more neare although he made no lesse speede in his coÌ„ming yet was preuented of Baiazetes and excluded out of CoÌ„stantinople Wherfore he being put backe from all hope of his kingdome incited by some of his frends moued warre against his brother who being ouercome in three battailes by Acomates Baiazetes Captain who had got Hydruntum before did flie to the greate Maister of the Rhodes leauing in a place called Carrae his mother and two yong children whom Baiazetes slue This Demes being wyth the maister of the Rhodes was desired first of Pope Innocent the 4. then of Ludouicus the 2. Frenche king but especially of Mathias Coruinus king of Hungarie entending by him to obtaine great victory against Baiazetes But in conclusion the Knights of the Rhodes sent him to the B. of Rome where he being kept and afterwardes sent to Charles the 8. French king for an hostage of Pope Alexander the 6. was poysoned by the way of Terracina by the sayde Pope Alexander as is before declared After whose death Baiazetes to require the foresayde Acomates for his good seruice put hym to the halter partly misdoubting his power partly for lucre sake to haue his treasure Whose death redounded to the great profit of the christians for somuch as he was euer an vtter enemy to the religion and name of Christ. Baiazetes thus being confirmed in his tyrannie made hys first expedition against Walachia where hee subdued two great fortes one called Lithostomus the other called Moncastrum From thence he remooued hys power taking his voiage into Asia thinking to be reuenged of the Sultane of Egypt which had succoured and entertayned before hys brother Demes against hym whâ—re he lost two great battailes the one fought at Adena the other at Tarsus but specially at the fielde at Tarsus the armye of the Turke tooke such a wound that of a 100. M. brought into the fielde scarse the thirde part remained vnslayne But as touching the Rhodians although they were succourers of Demes aforesayde yet Baiazetes whether for feare or for subtilty abstained to prouoke them with warre but rather entred with them the league of peace requiring the master of the Rhodes to kepe hys brother safe vnder his custody promising for his yerely salary to be paied vnto him euery yere in the moneth of August 45000. duckets Thus Baiezetes being ouerthrown and terrified with euill lucke fighting against the Sultane of Egypt remooued from Asia and directed his army into Europe where he got Dyrrachium neare vnto Velona had a great victory ouer the Christian armye in the countrey of Croatia wher the Illyrians Pannonians and Croatians ioyning their power together encountred with the Turke and lost the field about the yeare of our Lord. 1493. From thence the Turke leading his armye against the Venetians had with them diuers and doubtfull conflicts where the Turke sometimes was put to the woorse and sometimes againe preuailing out of Iadra and diuers other cities about Dalmatia caried away great multitudes of Christians into captiuitie whych was about the yere of our Lord. 1498. Two yeares after thys whych was the yeare of oure Lorde 1500. Baiazetes with 150. M. armed men entred into Peloponesus whych although Mahumete had expugned before yet the Venetians had defended Methone otherwise called Modon all this while against the Turks Which Methone the Turke besieged wyth three armies hauing about the wals 500. great brasen Canons wherof 22. were most violent and hurtfull wherewith he battered the City both day and night but the Citizens which were wythin the Citie committing themselues to God defended their Citie as well as they could rather chusing to dye then to yeelde vnto the Turkes
were in furnishing he sate downe vnder a tree began to curse his sonne and to axe vengeance vpon him for that he had so despised his father was become so impious a wretch Zelymus vnderstāding of his fathers departure came into the orchard where his father was seeming to be very heauy and much lamēting that hys father would so priuely depart and goe away seeing that hee desired not the gouernement of the Empire but was contented onely wyth the title thereof O father sayd he do not thus priuely depart away doe not procure this shame to your sonne who so tēderly loueth you Let me haue but the name only and be you the Emperor in dede The ende of your natural life most paciently I shal expect which I pray God may long cōtinue And thus vsing many faire flattering words to his father he cōmanded a banket with many deinty iunkets to be brought vnto him but tempered and infected with poyson Which as soone as Baiazetes had begon to tast of and felt the strēgth of the poyson working in his body he toke his last farewell of his sonne and going out of the citie accompanied with a great retinue of mē yelling and crying out in the streetes in the middle of his iourney fell downe and miserably died in the yeare of our Lorde 1512. Heere mayest thou see good Reader a cursed broode of thys Turkish generation where that father dieth in cursing the sonne and the sonne raigneth by poysoning his father Zelymus the 11. after Ottomannus AFter that thys wretched Zelymus had exercised hys barbarous cruelty vpon hys father with like impietie he seeketh the destruction of hys brethren and their children first beginning his murther wyth the fiue children hys Nephewes which were the sonnes of hys 3. brethren before departed Which done then remained his other 2. brethren yet aliue Acomates and Corchutus wyth theyr chyldren likewise to be destroyed Of whome the one had 3. sonnes whom the father sent to Zelymus his brother their vncle with faire and gentle wordes to entreat him to be good vnto their father offering to him their duety and seruice in all things honoring him also as Emperor But cruel Zelymus commaunded forthwith his saide Nephewes to be strangled The father hearing of the cruell murther of hys sonnes leauing house and home went and hid hymselfe in mountaines where he liued for a space with hearbes and wilde honie but being bewrayed by one of hys men was brought to Zelymus and so was strangled Christophorus Richerius wryting of these matters seemeth some thing to differ from other storyes and sayeth that Zelymus after the death of hys brother Corchutus came to Bursia where hee vnder the colour of making a great triumph ordeined a feast for his frends and kinsfolk Wherunto were called especially his nephewes who then at the end of the feast calling his nephewes aside as vnder the pretēce of conferring with them secretly about hys necessary affaires committed them to hys seruauntes to be strangled and put to death All this while Acomates hys brother through the help instruction of his mother was kept out of the tyrants hands till at length after great labor and search made how to get him certain forged letters were cast abroad wherin was cōteined that Acomates to reuenge the great impiety subdue the tirāny of Zelimus his brother should shew himself abroad Which if he wold do he should find frends enough to take his part Acomates circumuented with these subtill traines partly for hope of reuengement partly for desire of that Empire shewed him selfe abroad with such power and strength as he had who being set vpon incontinent by Zelymus hys brother was ouercome in battaile and falling from hys horse beyng a man corpulent and grosse and his horse falling vpon him was so ouerpressed and slaine Touching the death of thys Acomates Munsterus somwhat differing from this narration addeth moreouer and sayeth that hee was not killed with the fall from hys horse but sitting all dismayed vpon a stone and seeing no other remeady but death desired the Captaine taking hys rings from his fingers to deliuer the same to his brother desiring hym that he might not be put to any extreme cruelty of death but that hee gently would suffer him to be let bloud in the hath and so to die But Zelymus being not ignoraunt of thys suborneth priuy tormenters who binding his hands behinde him with their feete cast hym downe vpon the ground and so twixing his necke with a coarde did strangle him This Acomates had two sonnes who hearing of the death of their father did flie for succour the one to Sophus in Persia and the other to the Sultane in Egypt By the meanes whereof new occasion of warre grew vnto Zelymus whereby hee was kept in Asia at home to fight againste the Persians Egyptians so that throughe the Lordes prouidence Christendom by that meanes was deliuered from great daunger and perill of the Turkes tirannie For otherwise the Turke was wholy mineded wyth all his force and puissance to inuade the Christians being in doubt whether first to beginne wyth Rhodes or whether to assault Pannoma or els to set vpon Italy being then at great discorde within it selfe but thys cause occupied the Turks mind otherwise and kept him at home Suche was then the prouidence of the Lorde for the safegard of hys people Wherfore for somuch as the affaires and doings of this Turke were spent for the most part in the Turkish heathenish countreys it shal not be greatly necessary to trouble our christian stories therw t but onely shal suffice to contracte them in a briefe summe declaring superficially what vnquietnes was amongst them there which coulde neuer be quiet but euer working some mischief either abroade or at home Amurathes the Turks nephewe aforesaide after he had obtained aide of Sophus the king of the Persians first inuaded Cappadocia not long after whome folowed Ismael Sophus the Persian king By reason whereof a great battell was fought betwixt the Persians and Zelymus in the fieldes of Armenia maior In the which battaile Ismael Sophus the Persian Kyng was hurt on the shoulder with a pellet and so being caryed out of the field left the victory to Zelymus who all be it had an army of 150. M. men yet he in the same fielde lost about 30000. of hys Turkes Which field was fought in the yere of our Lorde 1514. Zelymus after thys victorie went to Tauricia the imperiall Citie of the Persians whiche he by yelding subdued In thys meane time it happened that one Aladulus a king in Armenia the greater was also a helper to Ismael against the Turk wherupon Zelymus the Turke taking great indignation the next yere folowing leauing the Persians fought against the sayd Aladulus in the end ouercame him and afterward being found in a caue in a woode was taken out and brought
Belgrade For the Christian princes at that time were in ciuill dissention and variance amongst themselues and the Pope with his Churchmen also were so busye in suppressing of Luther and of the Gospell then newly springing that they minded nothing els except it were to maintaine the welth of their own bellies Which pope if he had set his care as his duety was so muche in stirring vp Princes against the common enemy as he was bent to deface y◠gospel to persecute the true professors therof soone might he haue brought to passe not only that Belgrade might haue bene defended against the Turk but also y◠to be recouered againe which was lost before and moreouer myght haue stopped the great dangers and perils which nowe are like to fall vpon the religion and church of Christ whyche the Lord of his great mercy auert and turne away Certesse what so euer the Pope then did this had bene his duty setting al other things apart to haue had an earnest compassiō of so many miserable lost captiues which were fallen from their faith religion vnto the misery and slauery of the Turke thraldome of the deuil and to haue sought all means possible to haue reduced thē as lost shepe into the fold againe which then might sone haue ben done if prelates princes ioyning together in christian concord had loued so well the publike glory of Christ and soules of Christians as they tendered their owne priuate worldly friuolous quarels And admit that the Pope had conceiued neuer so much malice against Luther hys quarell also being good yet the publike church standing in such danger as it then did by the inuasion of the Turke reason woulde nature led religion taught time required that a good Prelate forgetting lighter matters shuld rather haue laid hys shoulder to the excluding of so great a dāger as then was imminent both to himselfe and the vniuersall Churche of Christ But nowe his quarel being vniust and the cause of Luther being moste iust and godly what is to be sayde or thought of suche a Prelate who for bearyng the Turke whome in a time so daungerous hee ought chiefly to haue resisted persecuted the trueth whych hee shoulde specially haue mainteined But Christ for his mercy stande for hys Churche and stirre vp zealous Princes and Prelates if not to recouer that is lost yet at least to retaine that little which is left Solyman therefore taking hys occasion and vsing the commoditie of time while our princes were thus at variance betwixt themselues wythout any resistance or interruption brought his army vnto Belgrade in the yere of our Lorde 1521. Which Citye being but slenderly defenced the Turke through his vnderminers guns and other engins of warre without great difficultie with little losse of hys souldiours soone subdued and ouercame After thys victorye Solyman resting himselfe a whole yeare and casting in his mynde howe to make all sure behinde him for feare of ennemies to come vppon his backe thought it expedient for his purpose if he might obtain the Ilande of Rhodes for that onely remained yet Christian betwixt him and Asia wherfore the next yeare following he brought hys army of 450. ships and 300. M. men to the besieging thereof This Rhodes was a mighty and strong Iland wtin the sea called Mare mediterraneum The inhabitants wherof at the first did manfully resist the turke sparyng no labor nor paines for the defence of thēselues of al christendome But afterward being brought to extremity and pinched with penury seing also no aid to come from the christians somwhat began to languish in thēselues The turkes in the meane time casting vp two great mountaines wyth strength of hand 2. miles of frō the citye like rolling trenches caried them defore thē neare vnto the city in the tops wherof they plāted their ordinance artillery to batter the city The maister of the knightes of the Rhodes was then one Philippus Villadamus a Frenchman in whome no diligence was lacking that appertained to the defence of the city The Rhodians likewise so valiantly behaued themselues vpon the walles that with their shot all the ditches about the city were filled with the carcases of dead Turkes Besides thys suche a disease of the bloudy flixe raigned in the Turkes campe that 30. M. of them died thereof and yet for all thys Solyman woulde not cease from hys siege begonne who at length by vnderminers casting downe the vamures and vttermost partes of the citie wan groūd still more and more vpon the Rhodians and with mortary pieces so battered the houses that there was no free place almost standing in all the Citie And thus continued the siege for the space of fiue or sixe monethes and yet all thys while came no help vnto them from the christians Wherfore they being out of all hope thorough the aduise of Ualladamus yelded themselues vnto the Turke vppon condition that hee woulde spare them wyth life and goodes which conuention the Turke kepte wyth them faithfully and truely Thus Solyman with his great glory and vtter shame to all christian princes and also ruine of all Christendome got the noble I le of Rhodes although not wythout great losse and detriment of hys army in so much that at one assault 20. thousande Turkes about the walles were slayne with fire sword stones and other engines Wherby it may be coniectured what these Rhodians might or would haue done if succor had come to them from other christian princes as they looked for This city was wonne vpon Christmas day An. 1522. Thys conquest of Rhodes obtained Solyman the 4. yeare after bringeth backe his army againe into Hungary where he founde none to resist him but onely Ludouike the yong king who being accompanied with a smal army and nothing able to matche wyth the Turke yet of a hasty rashnes and vaine hope of victory would needes set vpon him who if he had staide but a little had prospered the better For Ioannes Uainoda being a Capitaine well exercised in Turkish warres before was not farre off comming with a sufficient power of able souldiors But Paulus the Archbishop Coloss. a Franciscane Frier a man more bold then wise with his temerity and rashnes troubled al their doings For the whole summe of the army of the Hungarians contained in all but only 24. M. horsmen and footemen who at length comming vnto the battaile and being compassed about wyth a great multitude of the Turkes army were brought into great distres The Turks twise shorte of their pieces against the Christian army yet scarce was any Christian touched with the stroke therof whych was thought to be done of purpose bicause they were christians whych had the ordering of the gunnes for then the speciall gunners of the Turkes were Christians whome for the same cause they spared Then the Turkes horsmen comming vpon the backe of the christian armie compassed them about
space subdued and expugned Albeit he long enioied not the same for Tahames king of the Persians sodaynly comming vpon the Turks vnprepared slue of them 20. thousand and tooke hys concubines to the great foyle and reproch of the Turke Two yeare after this which was the yere of our Lord 1537. Solymannus who coulde not be quyet at home nor rest in peace returning agayne out of Asia into Europe with 270. ships great and little set vppon Corcyra an other Iland belonging to the Uenetians which he besieged x. daies wasting and burning the Townes and fieldes as he went beside the destruction of much people therein whom partly he slue partly led away captiues From thence he sayled to Zacynthus and Cythara an other Ilande not farre off from Corcyra bordering neare to the coastes of Epyrus and Grecia Where he sodaynly by night inuading the husband men in villages and fields sleeping and mistrusting no harme drew them out of theyr houses and possessions men and women besides children to the number of ix huÌ„dreth whom he made hys bondslaues burning moreouer theyr houses and carying away all the goodes and cattell beyng without the sayd Citties of Zazinthus and Cythara Ex. Ioan. Crispo From thence these helhoundes turned theyr course to that siege and spoyle of Egina a rich and populous Iland lying betweene Grecia and Asia Where first the Egenians did manfully in battaile resist them and were like to haue preuayled but being weryed at length and oppressed with innumerable thousandes of fresh Turkes which stil were sent in to rescue the other whiche were ouercome before were compelled to flye into the Cittie of Egina Which city the cruell Turkes or rather Deuils on earth with muche labour violence of their great ordinaunce fet out of their shippes subdued and cast downe to the ground the Cittizens and inhabitauntes whereof the Turke after he had burned their houses and ransackt theyr goodes commanded to be slayne and killed euery one The weomen both noble and vnnoble with their infantes were geuen to the mariners to be abused and from thence being shipped vnto Constantinople were led away to perpetuall misery slauery which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1537. In the same iourny Solyman also tooke the I le in the sayd sea of Eugeum called Parum also the Ile adioyning to the same named Naxus and made them to him tributaries The duke wherof was he which wrote the story both of these Ilandes aforesayd and also of the other Ilandes called Cyclades and other Dukes Ex Ioan Crispo Duce Naxi c. Thys done Solymannus directed his Nauy vnto Apulia where he set on land x. thousand footmen 2000. horsemen which spoiled likewise and wasted those parties while the Emperour the pope and the Uenetians were together in warre and dissension Furthermore the next yere folowing an 1538. great attemptes began in Stiria but by the resistance of the inhabitantes the force of the barbarous turks was repulsed notwithstanding great spoyles of men cattell were caryed from thence and the country miserable spoyled In the which yeare also the Turk turning into Hungary gaue battaile vnto the Christians in Sauia where through the fraudulent falshood of the Captayne Cassianerus Wolfegangus nameth him Calcianus beyng as they say corrupted with money our men were put to the worse an 1538. After that the Turkes had inuaded the Ilande of Corcyra abouesayd the Uenetians with Solyman the Turke had ioyned truce for a certayne time for the which they gaue the turke 300. thousand crownes with the city of Neapolis and Maâ—uasia in the borders of Macedonia But with in 4. or 5. yeares the Turke to get a newe stipend of the Uenetians brake hys league and inuaded theyr dominions whereby they were enforced to enter new conditions agayn with him In the yeare of our Lord 1540. the restles Turke making hys return toward Hungary by the way passing by Dalmatia lay against the towne called Newcastle beyng defended by the Spanyardes In the which town because they refused to yeld themselues all the inhabitauntes and souldiours were put to the sword slain euery one This Nouum Castellum or Newcastle was a strong fort of that Christians whiche being nowe in the Turkes power he had great aduauntage ouer all those quarters of Dalmatia Stiria Carinthia and Hungaria From thence he proceeded further keeping his course into Hungary where he planted his power against the City of Buda This Buda was a principall city in Hungary about which great contention had bene as ye heard before betweene Ioannes Uaiuoda and Ferdinandus By reason wherof the Turke occasioned by Uaiuoda came into HuÌ„gary and deliuered the City to Uaiuoda This Uaiuoda liuing not long after left behinde him a sonne whome being an infant he committed to the gouernance of one Georgius Monachus who being left tutour vnto the infant reduced all Transiluania Buda Pesta with other parties of Hungary which belonged to Uaiuoda before to the subiection of the child Ferdinandus hearing therof in a great hast and anger leuyed an armye to recouer his landes in Hungarie and so laid siege to Buda Monachus seing his part weake first sent his legate to Ferdinandus desiring him to talke and conferre with him vppon matter as he pretended pertaynign to the behoofe of them both Wherupon both the parties being agreed the place and manner of their conuention was appoynted and also the day and tyme assigned Thus the partyes according to the agreement conuenting together with their armyes with drawing a little aside as they were entred in communication sodenly among Ferdinandus men happened a dagg to be heard which by the heate of the day as is thought loosing of hys own accord gaue a cracke The sound wherof comming to the eares of Monachus he supposing the same to haue bene discharged agaynst him in great anger drewe out his sworde bidding Ferdinandus auant with his doubling dissimmulation saying that he would neuer any more trust the promises of Christians and immediatelye vppe on the same sent to Solymannus the Turke for ayde agaynst the Christians promising that he would surrender to him free possession of Hungary if he woulde come and vanquish the army of Ferdinandus lying about the siege of Buda The Turke maketh no long tarying but taketh the occasion and with a mighty power flieth into Hungary and eftsoones discharging the host of Ferdinandus and putting them of from the siege of Buda getteth the Citty into his own handes commaunding the sonne of Uaiuoda with his mother to follow after his camp In the history of Ioannes Ramus it followeth that when Solyman the Turk had thus preuayled against the Cittie of Buda aforesayd agaynst other parties more of HuÌ„gary by the asset of the Empyre one Ioachimus duke of Brandeberg prince Electour was assigned with a puissant army of chosen souldiours of all nations collected to recouer the City of Buda from
the Turke and to deliuer the other parties of Christendome from the feare of the Turke an 1542. Whiche Ioachimus at his first setting foorth appeared so couragious and valiaunt as though he would haue conquered the whole world but this great heate was so slaked in short time by the Turke that before any great ieoperdy was offered vnto him he was glad to to be discharged of the viage and with shame enough returned home againe And would God he had left behynde him in the field no more but his owne shame For the enemies hauing intelligēce before of his cowardly departure thinking to worke some poynt of maistry or victory before his goyng did set vpon the right wing of his army which chiefly consisted of Dutchmen of low Germany out of the which they tooke awaye with them aboue 500. strong and valiaunt souldiours not killing them but carying them away aliue For whome it had bene muche better to haue stand to their weapon and to haue dyed manfully vppon the turkes then by yealding themselues to be disgarnished of weapon and armoure and so to be lefte to the cursed curtesie of the foule Turkes To whome what curtesie was sheweed by the sequele did appeare For after the Turkes had led them out of Hungary into their own dominiō after a most horrible beastly sort they disfigured mangled them so sent them abroad through all Grecia to be witnessrs of the Turkes victory Their kind of punishment was thus First they had their right arme thrust through with an iron red hot whereby they should be vnable and vnmeet to all labour warefare Secondly theyr heades were shauen to the very sculles after the maner of our Friers monks when they are newly shauen Thirdly they had all their priuy members cut of frō their bodies to the intent to make thē vnfruitful for propagation which wound was so grieuous vnto them that the greatest part of them died therupon the few that recouered the torment therof led a life more bitter more miserable then death it selfe And this kinde of cruelty was executed in order vpō them all In much like sort did cruell Pharao exercise hys tyranny agaynst the people of God in Egipt who to destroy the generation of them caused all the male children to be drowned in the riuer Whereby it is the more to be hoped that seing the tiranny of this turkish Pharao is come to such an extremetie the mercifull goodnesse of God will the more shortly send some Moses or other vnto vs for our speedy deliueraunce This was by the cruell Turkes done an 1542. witnessed by Ioannes Ramus which not onely writeth the story but by the testimony also of hys owne eyes recordeth the same to be true beholding with his eies one of the same number in the city of Uienna who hauing wife and children in Bruxelles eyther for shame or sorrow had no minde to returne home to his own house Ex Ioan Ramo But to returne agayne to the city of Buda from whēre we haue digressed here is not to be pretermitted what falshood and what cruelty the turkes vsed toward the Christians there after theyr victory For after that Solyman the Turke vpon the yelding and submission of the men of Buda had geuen to them his promise of safety and life within short time the sayd turke picking a quarrell with them for selling Oxen vnto the Christians and for barganing with them slue all the Magistrates of the sayde Citty of Buda like as in all other Citties where so euer the Christians yelded vnto him he neuer or very rarely kept his promise with them neyther did euer any christians speed better with the turke then they which most constantly did resist him And as hys promise with the Magistrates of Buda was false and wretched so hys cruelty with the souldiors therof was more much notorious abhominable For in the expugnation of Buda among that rest whiche were slayne ij cohortes or bands of Christian souldiors came alyue to his hands To whom when he seemed at the first to graūt pardon of life he commaunded to put on their armour agayn and to dispose themselues in order and battayle array after the warlike maner of the christians whiche when they had accomplished readily according to his commaundement he riding about the ranckes of them had dilligently vewed and be holden them a certain space at length he commaunded thē to put of their armour againe which done certaine of the tallest and strongest of them he pyked out the residue he commanded by his souldiors comming behinde them with swordes to be cut in peeces and slayne Of the other whome he had elected and chosen some he set for markes and buttes to be shot at some he appointed to his two sonnes for them to slash with their swordes try theyr strength which of them could geue the deper woūd and as they termed it the fayrer blowe whereby moste bloud might follow out of their Christian bodies Ex Mart. Stella De successibus Turcarum After the winning of Buda the Turke purposing not so to cease before he had subdued and brought vnder his obedience all Hungary proceeding further with his armye first brought vnder a strong hold of christians named Pestum or Pesta where a great number of Christian souldiours partly were slayne partly were ledde awaye to more cruell affliction Then he came to an other Castle called Walpo situate in the confines of Bosna Croatia and Hungary Whiche forte or castle he besieged three mōthes while no rescue nor ayd was sent vnto them neyther from Ferdinandus king of Hungary nor from any other christian Prince or Princes Whereupon at length the forte was geuen vp to the Turke but more through the false treachery or cowardly hart of the souldiours then of the Captaine Wherein is to be noted an example not vnworthy of memory For when the cowardly souldiours eyther for feare or flattery wold needs surrender themselues the peece vnto the Turke contrarye to the minde of the Captaine whiche in no case would agree to theyr yelding they thinking to find fauour with the turke apprehended theyr captaine and gaue him to Solyman But see howe the iustice of God sometymes by the hands of the enemy disposeth the end of things to the rewarding of vertue punishing of vice For where they thought to saue themselues by the daunger of the faithfull Captain the euent turned cleane contrary so that the Turk was to the captayne bountifull and very liberalll and the souldiours notwithstanding that they had all yelded thēselues yet were all put to death and commaunded pitiously to be slayne Ex Ioan. Martino Stella De Turcarum in Hungaria successibus c. There is in Hungary an other towne bearing the name of fiue Churches called Quiquecclesiensis partly spoyled before as is aboue mentioned pag. 751. but nowe thorough the losse of Walpo by the
that they did not yeld themselues in time Thus the turke whether they yelded to hym or not neuer spared the people and flocke of Christ. As the false cruell Turk was thus raging in Hungary and intended further to rage without all mercy and pitie of the Christians and easely might then haue preuayled and gone whether he would for that Charles the Emperour and Franciscus the french king were the same tyme in warre and hostilitie and also other Christen Princes as Henry Duke of Brunswike against Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie also Princes and rulers were contending among themselues beholde the gracious prouidence of our Lord and God toward vs who seeing the misery hauing pittie of hys poore Christians sodeinely as with a snafle reined this raging beast and brought him out of Europe into his owne country againe by occasion of the Persians who were then in great preparation of war agaynst the turkes had inuaded hys dominion By reason wherof the turkes was kept there occupyed fighting with the Persians a long continuance Whiche warres at length being atchiued and finished wherein the sayd Turke lost great victoryes with slaughter of many thousandes of his Turkes he was not onely prouoked by the instigation of certaine euil disposed Hungarians but also occasioned by the discord of Christian Princes to returne agayn into Europe in hope to subdue all the partes thereof vnto his dominion Whereunto when he had leuyed an armye incredible of such a multitude of turks as the like hath not lightly bene heard of see agayne the mercifull prouidence protection of our God toward his people And as the Turke was thus intending to set forward with this innumerable multitude against the Christians the hand of the Lorde sent such a pestilence through all the turkes army and dominions reaching from Bithynia and from Thracia to Macedonia and also to Hungary that all the turkes possessions almost seemed nothing els but as a heape of dead corses whereby his viage for that time was stopped and he almost compelled to seeke a new army Beside this plague of the Turkes aforesayde whiche was worse to them then any warre other lets also and domesticall calamities through Gods prouidence happened vnto Solymannus the great rouer and robber of the world which stayd him at home from vexing the christians especially touching hys eldest sonne Mustapha This Mustapha being hated and partly feared of Rustanus the chiefe counsailour about the Turke and of Rosa the turkes concubine after his wife was diuers times complayned of to his father accused at length so brought into suspicion and displeasure of the turke by them aforesayd that in conclusion hys father caused him to be sent for to hys pauilion where 6. Turkes with visours were appoynted to put hym to death Who comming vppon hym put after theyr manner a small corde or bowstring full of knottes about hys necke so throwing him downe vpon the ground not suffering hym to speake one word to hys father with the switch therof throtcled strangled him to death his father standing in a secret corner by and beholding the same Whiche facte being perpetrate afterward when the Turke would haue geuen to an other sonne of hys and of Rosa called Bianger the treasures horse armour ornamentes and the prouince of Mustapha his brother Bianger crying out for sorow of his brothers death phy of thee sayth he to hys father thou impious and wretched dog traytour murderer I cannot cal thee father take the treasures the horse and armour of Mustapha to thy selfe and wyth that taking out hys dagger thrust it through hys own body And thus was Solyman murderer parricide of hys owne sonnes which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. Wherein notwithstanding is to be noted the singular prouidence and loue of the Lord toward his afflicted christians For this Mustapha as he was couragious greatly expert and exercised in all practise of warre so had he a cruell hart maliciously set to shed the bloud of christians Wherfore great cause haue we to congratulate to geue thanks to god for the happy taking away of this Mustapha And no lesse hope also and good comfort we may conceaue of our louing Lord hereby ministred vnto vs to thinke y◠our mercifull God after these sore afflictions of his Christians vnder these 12. Turks afore recited now after this Solyman intendeth some gratious good worke to Christendom to reduce release vs out of this so long miserable turkish captiuitie as may be hoped now by takyng away these yong impes of this impious generation before they should come to worke theyr conceaued malice against vs the Lord therefore be glorified and praysed Amen Moreouer as I was in writing hereof oportunely came to my handes a certayne writing out of Germanye certifyeng vs of suche newes victory of late atchieued against the turke as may not a little increase our hope and comfort vs touching the decay and ruine of the Turks power tyranny against vs. Which newes are these that after y◠turkish tyrant had besieged with an army of 30000. men the famous strong town and castle of Iula in Hungary lyeng 40. dutch myles beyond the riuer Danubius which cittye had by the space of 6. weekes susteined many grieuous assaultes God through hys great mercy goodnes so comforted the sayd towne of Iula and the poore Christians therein at theyr earnest prayers that the Turke with all hys hoste was driuen backe by the handes of the generall called Karetshim Laslaw and his valiaunt company who not onely defended the said town but also constrayned the Turks to retyre to the great shame and confusion with a great slaughter of the turkish rable For the whiche the euerlasting God be praysed for euer The maner of the ouerthrow was this As the foresaid generall did see his aduauntage with Captayne George and other horsemen of the Sclesians and Hungarians they set on the rereward of the Turkes and killed about 8000. of thē and tooke also some of their artillery and followed them so fast y◠the Turkes were constrayned to flye into a marishe ground and to breake the wheeles of the rest of theyr artillary to saue themselues and therwith they got a very rich booty rescuing besides and taking from the Turks a great number of christian prisoners Like thankes also are to be geuen to God for the prosperous successe geuen to Magotschie the valiaunt Captaine of Erla who making toward the Turkes and recountring with the Tartarians slue of them about 8. hundreth Not long after this it happened through the like prouidence of our God a turkish Captayne called Begen accompanyed with a thousand freshe horsemen came newly out of Turky to go toward the citty named Quinque Ecclesiae or Finffenkyrchen with whome the Erle of Serin by the way did encounter and in the right setting vpon hym killed the captayne and tooke
not as one pronouncing agaynst the City of Rome what wil happen but as one fearing what may fall Which if it come to passe as I pray God it do not then shall the Pope well vnderstand whether hys wrong vnderstanding of the Scriptures his false flattering glosers vpon the same haue brought hym Wherefore my counsayle is to the Pope all hys Popish mayntayners and vpholders to humble themselues to agree with theyr brethren by tyme letting all contention fall lest that while the Byshop of Rome shal striue to be the highest of all other Byshops it so fall out shortly that the byshop of Rome shal be found the lowest of all other Byshops or peraduenture no byshop at all Wherevpon also an other cause may be added taken out of Hieronunns Sauonarola who prophecieth that one shall come ouer the Alpes lyke vnto Cyrus destroy Italy Wherof see more pag. 737. Thys Solimanus if he be yet aliue hath now reigned 46. yeares who began the same yeare in the which the Emperour Charles the v was crowned which was an 1520. and so hath continued by Gods permission for a scourge to the Christians vnto this yere now present 1566. This Solyman by one of hys Concubines had hys eldest sonne called Mustapha By an other Concubine called Rosa he had foure sonnes Mahumete Baiazates Zelymus and Gianger Of the whiche sonnes Mustapha and Gianger were slayn as ye heard before by the meanes of their own father And thus much concerning the wretched tyranny of the Turkes out of the authors here vnder written The Authors of the Turkes storyes Laonicus Chalcondila Nicolaus Eboicus Episo Saguntinus Ioan. Ramus Andraeas a Lacuna Wolfgangus Drechslerus Ioan. Crispus Ioan Faber Ludouicus Viues Bernardus de Breydenbach Mityleneus Archiepise Sabellicus Isiodorus Rutherus Marinus Barlerus Henrious Penia de bello Rhodio Melchior Soiterus Paulus Iouius Ioan Martinus Stella Gaspar Peucerus c. Nicolaus a Moffen Burgundus Sebast Munsterus Baptista Egnatius Barthol Peregrinus ¶ A Notice touching the miserable persecution slaughter and captiuity of the Christians vnder the Turkes HEtherto thou hast heard Christian Reader the lamētable persecutions of these latter dayes wrought by the Turkes agaynst the people and seruauntes of Christ. In the reading wherof such as sitte quietly at home be farre frō ieopardy may see what misery there is abroad y◠knowledge and reading wherof shall not be vnprofitable for all christians earnestly to wey consider for that many there be which falsely deceauing themselues imagin that Christianity is a quiet and restrull state of life full of pleasure solace in this present worlde when in deede it is nothing lesse testified by the mouth of our Sauiour himselfe who rightly defining his kingdome teacheth vs that his kingdome is not of this world premonishing vs also before that in this worlde we must looke for affliction but in hym wee shall haue peace Examples hereof in all partes of thys hystory through all ages are plenteous and euidēt to be sene whether we turne our eyes to the first x. persecutiōs in the primitiue Church during the first 3. hundreth yeares after Christ or whether we consider the latter 3. hūdreth yeares in this last age of the Churche wherein the poore flocke of Christ hath bene so afflicted oppressed deuoured the it is hard to say whether haue bene more cruell agaynst the Christians the infidel Emperors of Rome in the primitiue age of the Church or els those barbarous Turkes in these our latter times of the Church now present Thus from time to time the Churche of Christ almost hath had litle or no rest in this earth what for the Heathen Emperours on the one side what for the proude Pope on the other side and on the third side what for the barbarous Turke for these are and haue bene from the beginning the three principall capital enemies of the Church of Christ signified in the Apocalips by the beast the false Lamb and the false Prophet from whom wēt out three foule spirites like frogges to gather together all the kinges of the earth to the battell of the day of the Lord God almighty Apocal. 16. The cruelty and malice of these 3. enemyes agaynst Christes people hath bene such that to iudge which of thē did most exceede in cruelty of persecution it is hard to say but y◠it may be thought that the bloudy beastly tyrannye of the Turkes especially aboue the rest incomparably surmounteth all the afflictions and cruell slaughters that euer were seene in any age or read of in any story In so much y◠there is neither history so perfect nor writer so diligēt who writing of the miserable tyranny of the Turkes is able to expresse or comprehend the horrible examples of theyr vnspeakable cruelty and slaughter exercised by these 12. Turkish tyrants vpon poore Christē mens bodies within the compasse of these latter 3. hūdreth yeares wherof although no sufficient relation can be made nor nūber expressed yet to geue to the Reader some generall gesse or view thereof let vs first perpend and consider what dominions Empyres how many countries kingdomes prouinces cities townes strong holdes and fortes these Turkes haue surprised and wonne from the Christians In all which victories being so many this is secondly to be noted that there is almost no place which the turkes euer came to and subdued where they did not either slay all the inhabitants therof or led away the most part therof into such captiuity and slauery that they continued not long after aliue or els so liued that death almost had bene to them more tollerable Like as in the time of the first persecutions of the Romayne Emperors the saying was that no man could step with his foote in all Rome but should tread vpon a Martyr so here may be sayd that almost there is not a towne city or village in all Asia Grecia also in a great part of Europa and Aphrica whose streetes haue not flowed with bloud of the Christians whom the cruell turks haue murthered Of whom are to be sene in histories heapes of souldiours slaine of mē womē cut in pieces of childrē sticked vpō poles stakes whō these detestable turks most spitefull y◠in the sight of theyr parentes vse to gore to death some they drag at theyr horse tailes famish to death some they teare in pieces tying theyr armes and legges to foure horses other some they make marks to shoot at vpō some they trye theyr swords how deep they can cut and slash as ye before haue read pag. 777 The aged feeble they tread vnder theyr horses womē with child they spare not but ripp theyr bodyes and cast the infants into the fire or otherwise destroy them Whether the Christians yeld to them or yeld not all is a matter As in theyr promises there is no truth so in theyr victoryes there is no sense of
manhood or mercy in them but they make hauocke of all So the Citizens of Croia after they had yelded were all promised theyr liues were all destroyd and that horribly In Mysia after the king had geuen himselfe to the turkes hand hauing promise of life Mahumet the Turke slew him with his owne hands The Princes of Rasia had both theyr eies put out with â—asens redde hoate set before them Theodosia otherwise called Capha was also surreÌ„dered to the Turke hauing the like assuraunce of life and safety yet contrary to the league the Citizens were put to the sword and slaine At the winning and yelding of Leâ—bos what a number or young men and children were put vpon sharpe stakes and poles and so thrust thorough At the winning of the Citty of Buda what tyrannye was shewed and exercised agaynst the poore Christians whiche had yelded themselues and agaynst the two Dukes Christopher Bisserer and Ioannes Tranbinger coÌ„trary to the promise and handwriting of the Turke is to be sene in the story of Melchior Soiterus de Bello Pannonico The like also is to be read in the story of Bernardus de Breydenbach who writing of the taking of Hydrimtum a City in Apulia testifieth of the miserable slaughter of the young men there slayne of old men troden vnder the horse feet of matrons virgines rauished of women with child cut rent a pieces of the Priestes in the Churches slayne of the Archbishop of that Citty who being an aged man and holding the crosse in his hands was cut a sonder with a woodden saw c. The same Bernerdus also wryting of the ouerthrow of Nigropontus otherwise called Chalcides an 1471. describeth the like terrible slaughter whiche there was exercised where the Turke after hys promise geueÌ„ before to the coÌ„trary most cruelly caused all the youth of Italy to be pricked vpon sharp stakes some to be dashed against the hard stones other some to be cut in sonder in the middest and other mo with other kinds of forments to be put to death in so much that all the streetes and wayes of Chalcides did flowe with the bloud of them whiche were there slayn In which history the foresayd writer recordeth one memorable example of maydeÌ„ly chastity worthy of all Christians to be noted and commended The story is tolde of the Pretors daughter of that City who being the onely daughter of her father noted to be of an exceeding singuler beuty was saued out of the slaughter brought to Mahumet the turke to be his concubine But she denying to consent to his turkishe appetite and filthynes was commaunded therewith to be slayne and murthered and so died she a Martyr keping both her fayth and her body vndefiled vnto Christ Iesus her spouse Ibid. The like cruelty also was shewed vpon them whiche kept the Castle afterward yelding themselues vpoÌ„ hope of the turkes promise were slayne euery one What should I speake of the miserable slaughter of Methone the CitizeÌ„s therof dwelling in Peloponesus who seing no other remedy but needes to come into the Turkes hands set the barne on fire where they were gathered together meÌ„ women and children some women also with child voluÌ„tarily cast themselues into the Sea rather then they would sustayne the Turkes captiuity Vide pag. 734. Miserable it is to beholde long to recite incredible to beleue all the cruel parts and horrible slaughters wrought by these miscreantes agaynste the Christians through all places almost of the world both in Asia in Africa but especially in Europa Who is able to recite the innumerable societyes and companyes of the Grecians Martyred by the Turkes sword in Achaia Attica Thessalia Macedonia Epirus and all Peloponesus besides the Iland of Rhodes and other Ilandes and Cyclades adiaceÌ„t in the sea about numbred to 52. of the which also Pathmos was one wher S. Iohn being banished wrote his reuelations Where did euer the Turkes sette any foote but the bloud of Christians there without pitty or measure went to wracke what place or prouince is there almost thorow the world wher the turks either haue not perced or are not like shortly to enter In Thracia through all the coastes of Danubius in Bulgaria Dalmatia in Seruia Transiluania Bosna in Himgaria also in Austria what hauocke hath bene made by them of Christen mens bodies it will rue any Christen hart to remember At the siege of Moldauio at the winning of Buda of Pesta of Alba of Walpo Strigonium Sociosia Tathe Wizigradum Nouum Castellum in Dalmatia Belgradum Uaradinum Quinque ecclesie also at the battel of Uerna where Ladislaus king of Polonie with all his army almost through the rashnes of the Popes Cardinall were slayne at the winning moreouer of Xabiacchus Lyssus Dinastrum at the siege of Guntza and of the faythfull towne Scorad where the nuÌ„ber of the shotte agaynst theyr walles at the siege thereof were reckoned to 2539. likewise at the siege of Uienna where all the Christian captiues were brought before the whole army and slayne and diuers drawne in pieces with horses but especially at the winning of Constantinople aboue mentioned pag. 706. also at Croia Methone what beastly cruelty was shewed it is vnspeakeable For as in Constantinople Mahumer the dronken Turk neuer rose from diner but he caused euery daye for his disport 300. ChristiaÌ„ captiues of the nobles of that City to be slayn before his face So in Methone after that his captayn Omares had sent vnto him at Constantinople 500. prisoners of the Christians the cruell tyraunt commaunded them all to be cut and deuided in sonder by the middle so being slain to be throwne out into the fieldes Leonicus Chalcondyla writing of the same story addeth moreouer a prodigious narratioÌ„ if it be true of a brute Oxe whiche being in the fieldes and seing the carcases of the dead bodies so cut in two made there a loud noise after the lowing of his kind and nature afterward comming to the quarters of one of the dead bodyes lying in the field first tooke vp the one halfe then comming agayne tooke vp likewise the other halfe and so as he could ioyned theÌ„ both together Which being espyed of them which saw the doing of the brute Oxe and maruelling thereat and word being brought thereof to Mahumet he commaunded the quarters agayne to be brought where they were before to proue whether the beast would come agayne who fayled not as the author recordeth but in like sort as before taking the fragmentes of the dead corps layde them agayne together It foloweth more in the author howe that Mahumet being astonied at the straunge wonder of the Oxe commaunded the quarters of the christiaÌ„ mans body to be interred and the Oxe to be brought to his house and was much made of Some sayd it to be the body of a Uenetian some affirmed that he
of the storie aboue prefixed AN. 632. Began the kingdom of the Saracens or Arabians after the death of mahumet the fiâ—ft ringleader of the mischief which Savacens reigning in Babylon ouer Persia and Asia continued about 198. yeres An 667. Ierusale was taken of the Saracens These SaraceÌ„s after they had subdued Ormisda K. of Persia set vp to them selues a new kingdom calling their chiefe prince Calipha which signifieth a general Lord and vnder him Seriphes that is an vnder prince And againe vnder him their Soldan whych is a ruler or captaine vnder the which Soldanes all the prouinces were deuided And thus ruled obey the space abouesayd of 198. yeres An. 703. The Egyptians being weary of their subiection vnder the Romaines called for helpe of the Saracene Calipha and so casting of the Romains submitted themselues to the law of the Saraces and had also their Calipha and theyr Babylon called Cairus where their Calipha continued vnto Saraco or Syracinus 447. yeres An. 810. Mauginetus or Muchumetus the chiefe Sultan of Persia being at variance with Imbrael the Sultan of â—abiâ—on feut for the aid of the turkes out of Sâ—ychia â—â— whoÌ„ when he had got the victorye against the Babilonians the sayd Turkes shortly after conquered the Persians and subdued their countrey within the space of 20â— yeres An. 830. The SaraceÌ„s being â—â— pussed â—â— of Asia by the turkes wandered aboue Afrike Spayne and Italy and were 〈◊〉 uers places dispersed and 〈◊〉 An. 830. The Turke after they had expulsed the Saraâ—â—â—our of Asia began to reigne in Asia in Persia in Arabia and there reigned without interruption til the comming of the Tartarians the space of 192. yeres An. 1009. The Turkes wanne the city of Herusalem froÌ„ the Saraâ—ens which citie the Sultan of Egipt want againe 〈◊〉 the Turkes shortly after possessed the same till the comming of Gotfeldus An. 1051. Began the first king of the turkes called â—aduke to raign in Asia and ioyned league with Calipha of Egypt and there raigned till the conquest of Gotfridus and the Christians the space of 46. yeres An. 1078. SolymaÌ„nus nephue to Aspasalem the turkish king in Asia otherwise called Turquinia subdued Capadocia which hath continued now since the space of 500. yeres An. 1099. Gotfridus Bulion duke of Lotharing a christeÌ„ prince taking his voiage into Asia with 700000. Christen soldiours first got the city of Nicea against the Sultane of the Turkes then Lycaonia Cilicia Syria afterwarde Mesopotamia and Comagena then Autiochia An. 1098. and the next yere recouered Hierusalem being then in the hands of the Saracens whych they a little before had wonne from the Turkes as is aforesayde After this Gorfridus succeded viij christian kings which kept the kingdome of Hierusalem and Asia both from the Turkes and Saracens the space of 88. yeres An. 1100. The Georgians which be a people of Armenia the greatye vaÌ„quisheâ—â— the Turks out of the kingdom of Persia afâ—â—â— they had cutte their king in pieces wherby the Turks flying to Cappadoria there remained vnder Solynian ioyned them selues to the Solban of Egypt and waxed the strong in Asia minor couted now Turquinia An. 1170. When Americus the vii king of Hierusalem after Goufridus had ouercome the Calipha or Sultan of Egypt the Sultan being ouercome called for the help of Saracon the Sultane of Syria Thys Saracon after he had expulsed the christians out of Egypt â—â—oned his power against the Sultane of Egypt and vanquishing him tooke to him selfe the kingdome of Egypt Which kingdom he with his posteritie did holde till the comming of the Tartarians and the Mamaluches about the space of 88. yeres An. 1187. Saladinus the nephew of Saracon the Sultane of Egypt perceauing the dissention among the Christian states of Palestina got Antioche where he slewe Raymundus the Prince with hys owne hands Then got Tiberias From thence went to AccoÌ„ where he tooke Guido king of Hierusalem and Master of the Templares prisonners for whose raunsome the Turke had Ascalon yelded vp to him of the Christians That done he subdued Hierusalem whych had bene in the handes of the Christians before the space of An. 1189. Friderike Emp. Philip French king Rich king of Englande made their viage into Asia where Friderike washing in a riuer at Lilicia died In this voiage at the siege of Accon Saladinus wanne the fielde of our men of whome 2000. were slaine in the chase Accon at length was got of the Christians King Richarde got Cyprus The two kings tell at strife Phillip retired home without any good doing king Richarde laide siege to Hierusalem but in vaine and so returning homewarde was taken neare to Uienna in Austria after hee had taken truce before wyth the Soldane vppon such condition as pleased hym And thys good speede had the Popes sending out against the Turkes An. 1215. There was an other Councell holden at Rome by pope InnoceÌ„t 3. where was enacted a newe article of our faith for transubstantiation of bread and wine to be turned into the body and bloud of our sauiour In this Councell also great excitation was made by the Pope great preparation was through al Christendom to set forward for recouery of the holy laÌ„d A mighty army was collected of Dukes Lordes knights bishops Prelates that if Gods blessing had gone wyth them they myght haue gone throughout all Asia and India Anno 1219. The Christians after 18. monethes siege gotte a certaine towne in Egypte called Damiata or Elipolis wyth much a do but not much to the purpose For afterward as the christian army of the popes sending went aboute to besiege the Citie Cairus or Babylon the Sultane throughe his subtile traine so intrapped and inclosed them wythin the daunger of Nylus that they were constrained to render agayne the Citie Damiata with their prysonners and all the furniture thereof as they found it into the Souldanes hande and glad so wyth their liues to passe forwarde to Tyrus An. 1221. In the meane time the Egyptian Turke caused the Citie of Hierusalem to be rased that it should serue to no vse to the Christians What great thing els was done in that viage it doth not greatly appere in stories All be it Fridericus the 2. Emperour was not vnfrutefully there occupied and muche more myght haue done had it not bene for the violence and persecution of the Bishop of Rome against him whereby he was enforced to take truce wyth the Sultan for 10. yeres and so returned After which things done not many yeares after at lengthe the last citie of all belonging to the Christians which was Ptolomais or Aâ—â—â—s was also taken from them by the Sultane so that now the christians had not one foote left in all Asia An. 1203. Thus the Christians being driuen out of Asia by the Sultans Turkes yet the sayd Turkes and Sultanes did not long enioy their victorie For estsoones the Lord stirred vp against them
generall councell The councell of Constance decreeth the Pope to be vnder the Councell The actes of the Apostles The cauncell of Nice The title of the Councels The constitutions of the B. of Rome are not the lawes of the church By the church the councell is vnderstand Simons obedience necessary in the Byshops of Rome The fauourers and mainteiners of the pope goe about to mainteine preferre the pleasure profit of one before a common commoditie The pope can abide no generall Councels Non obstante In the Popes Bulles The councel to be aboue the pope The full iudgemét of the church is not to be found but in the generall Councel No appealâ— to be made froÌ„ the couÌ„cel to the P. Acts 13. Gal. 2. Peter constrayned to obey the generall councell The decree of the councel of Constance The pope bound vnder the obedience of the generall Councel Diuers places rehearsed out of the Gospels and Apostles for authoritie of the Church and generall councels aboue the Pope Weight is matters intreated but onely in generall councels The Pope not sufficient of him selfe to connince or iudge heretickes The pope may erre Whether the pope may be deposed by the councell or not The places Tibi dabo claues regniâ—exlorum Pasce oues meas make nothing for the popes supremacye The Popes supremacie consuted Peter representeth the person of the church and not of the Pope The keyes geueÌ„ to the church and not to one man Pope Boniface erreth The B. of Rome vnproperly called the head of the Church The dote which say that the pope cannot be deposed for any other cause then for heresie Fruiteles braunches are to be cutt of If the pope be vnsauery salt he is to be cast away A note for all naughty prelats The wordes of â— Peter to Clement The epistle of Clement to Iames doubted The pope may and ought to be both accused punished for ill doing Whether the pope may be deposed by the counsell or no. The pope is rather to be called the vicar of the Church then of Christ. Pope Iohn 23. deposed and yet for no heresie Whether councells may be coÌ„gregated without the authority of the Pope They erre that say the Pope ought onely to appoint the councells Marke wherefore the popes will haue no generall couÌ„cell The first councell of the apostles The 2. couÌ„cell of the Apostles The 3. couÌ„cell of the Apostles The 4. couÌ„cell of the Apostles Generall councells in tymes past coÌ„gregated by Emperours not by popes If the greater part of the Church do consent a councell may be holdeÌ„ whether the Pope will or no. How the Pope is a schismaticke The Pope can not dissolue a generall councell against the will of the same The saying of Macrobius Whether the pope in certaine cases may dissolue the councell The definition of faith The definition of the catholicke faith Rom. 3. Catholicke what it is The councel of CoÌ„stance Vid. supra pag. 650. The wordes of the councel of ChalcedoÌ„ where by he is declared an hereticke that holdeth any opinion contrary to the councell Panormitan is noted and veriâ— well nipped by his owne supposition Tell the church that is to say the generall councell The Byshop of Burgen Panormitanes oration Foure thinges to be considered in euery request Panormitane would haue dignitie to be coÌ„sidered in couÌ„cell not voices Panormitane seemeth to delay the proces against the pope The 3. part of Panormitans oration Persuations of Panormitane The praise of Lodouicus the prothonotarie Bishops onely to haue determining voyce in councells It is no maruell why he alleadged no more or better matter for of noughty Lether no man can make a good shoe And note here how God with draweth his giftes when men dissemble cloke the truthe Truth seeketh no corners The patieÌ„ce and answere of Arelatensis Didimus reprehended that which was in his owne booke founde He meaneth Panormitane and Lodouicus the Prothonotary Marke O ye Bishops the couÌ„cell of Basill contendeth for you and ye will not vnderstaÌ„d it This was a â— true Cardinall out of whose mouth the veritie did speake which feared not the threatnings of princes neither sought any worldly glory or dignitie Marke what worldly pompe dignitie and wealth had brought the prelates to in those dayes Note here the great godlynes most christian saying of this good Bishop Truth many times dwelleth vnder the ragged cloke Steuen the first martir Note the finâ—etitie ritie of this good Bishop which stayed himselfe vpon the examples of the primitiue church not vpon customes popes Athanasius beeing but a priest and no Bishop vanquished an Archb. The name of priests or elders commoÌ„ both to Bishops and priests Paule Bishop of Antioch Paule the hereticke with his godly eloqueÌ„ce S. Augustines minde vpon this sentence Tibi dabo claues regni caelorum Byshops are of greater power then priests rather by custome then dispensation of truth Byshops and priestes ought to rule the church together Aeneas Siluius Note that Abbots were not instituted by Christ. Italy surmounteth all other nations in number of Byshops Note the terrible persecution of those dayes and the great constancie of the godly for the truthes sake O zeale of fayth worthie the crowne of martyrdom Eccle. 7. The bishops â—eare the earthly power but not God The bishops of the primitiue church what they were Poore men more meete to geue iudgement then riche for riches wealth and dignitie bringeth feare but pouertie causeth libertie * The Byshoppes in this age of the church what they are In matters of faith and religion there ought to be no delayes The eight yeare of the councell of Basill How subtelly they sought delayes The decrees of the councell of Constance If these thinges seeme so vntollerable what shall we say wheÌ„ as they make the Pope a God They which teach this doctrine are heretickes schismaticks but blessed are those heretickes for theirs is the kingdome of heauen A christian exhortation to constancy and martirdome This came so to passe 23. yeares after when Christendome lost Constantinople and all the east partes vnto the Turkes Examples of good men dying for their couÌ„trey The noble Laâ—cedemonians The blessed state of the life to come The worthy aunswere of Theodorus Cyrenensis No death to be feared for christs Church Example of Mariners HuÌ„ters Example of the 11. thousand virgins Iewes Patriarke of Aquileia Duke of Decke in â—weuia The Earle of Diersten The prayse of the citizens of Basill Humilitie sister to nobilitie Amodeus Archbishop of Lions Anno. 1438. Bishops that he at home haue toÌ„gue here to speake for the Pope Marke how they are turned back which somtime fauoured the truth are now become liers flatterers Constancie lacked in diuers of this councell Panormitane speaketh like himselfe Nicholas Amici a diuine of Paris The oration of Segouius Ambros. ad Valentinianum How farre wherein Bishops ought to iudge vpon Emperours He excuseth the Patriarke
into Hungary The crueltie of the turke vpon hys wiues brother Belgradum besieged of the turke IoaÌ„nes Huniades Vaiuoda Fiue victories of Ioan. Huniades against the turke gotten in one day The great Baslaor duke of the turkes ouerthrowen by Huniades The victory of Huniades against Carambeis the great captaine of the turkes The great turk brought to a great distresse Amurathes seketh truce of the Christians The conditions betweene Ladislaus kyng of Polonie and Amurathes Truce betwene the Christians the turkes for x. yeares Amurathes returneth into Asia The Popes dispensation and absolution abused The popes rashe counsayle pernicious to Christendome Nothyng prospereth that is taken in hand by the popes setting on The pope breaketh truce made betwene the Christians and the turke The pope moued Ladislaus to breake truce The false dealing of the Italian Nauie The battell of Varna betwene Ladislaus king of Polonie and Amurathes The popish prelats were the cause of losing the field A iust punishment vpon the popish prelates for their vniust dealing Iulianus the Cardinall slaine in the warre and spoyled Huniades escapeth The worthy commendation of Iohn Huniades Amurathes taketh his viage against the G. ecians * Peloponesus Sycione Patris with all the partes of Thessaha Achaia brought vnder the turke The memorable actes of Scanderbeius against Amurathes * This Epyrus is a countrey in Grecia bordering neare to the partes of Macedonia Vij captaines of the turkes ouercome by Castrioâ—us Scanderbeius Amurathes renounced his dominion made himselfe a turkish monke Two Christian warriers in Europe stirred vp of God to vanquish the turks This Iohn Huniades is reported of 20. battels with the turke to lose but two Epyrus Macedonia defended by Scanderbeius Amurathes ouercome by ScaÌ„derbeius Ianizari among the turkes A lamentable slauery of Christian mens children vnder the turke Mahumetes the 9. turke after Ottomannus The tyranny of Mahumets in murthering hys brethren Halibassa a traitour to his maister Horrible paricide of the abhominable turke Gods prouidece can fetch out of the deuils mouth whom he list to saue Note here gods punishment vpon the betraer of innocent bloud Mahumete first setteth vpon Athâ—â— The fury of Mahumete the turke agaynst the Citie and schoole of Athens Athens destroyed The siege taking of Constantinople Vid. supra pag. 708. Ex Ioanne Ramo lib. 2. rerum Turcicarum Vid. supra pag. 67. Ex Ramo An image of the Crucifix in Constantinople What ossences be giuen to the infidels by Images in Christian Churches Vienna admonished The cruell murther by the turkes in the citie of Constantinople A lamentable destruction of the Citie of Constantinople The bloudie cruelty of the turk against the Christian captiues The citie of Pera yeldeth it selfe for feare to the turke The citie of Pera spoyled Dronken Mahumete false of promise The mercifull prouidence of God in sauing his people Constantinople made the imperial seat of the turke The siege of Belgradum in Hungary Ioan. Huniades 40000. turkes slain at the siege of Belgradum Ex Hier. Zieglero in lib. de illustrab virts Germa câ— 98. The noble act of a Bohemian in defence of his countrey The towne of Belgradium valiauntly defended from the turke 200. thousand turkes at the siege of Belgradum The decease of Ioannes Huniades The turkes war against Vsumcassanos The turke agayn returneth against the Christians Synope Paphlagonia Trapezuntus gotten of the turkes Dauid Emperour of Trapezuntus with hys two sonnes and vncle cruelly killed of the turke Corinthus Mitylene Lesbos Lemnus subdued of the turke The falshood â—â— the wretched turke agaynst the Prince of Mysia The crueltie of the turke against the kyng of Mysia The siege of Chalcis in Euboia The cruell tyraÌ„ny of the turke against the City of Chalcis Ex Ioanne Ramo de rebus Turcicis The noble stratageme of women in defending that Citie Peloponesus Achaia Messenia Laconia Argolica Archadia Christen prouinces in Grecia subdued of the turke Capha taken of the turke The counsayle of Scanderbeius how to fight against the turke A notable example of singular courage in a Captaine The commendation of Scanderbeius agaynst the turkes Mathias the sonne of Huniades Stiria Carinthia taken of the turke Rhodes besieged Lencadia Cephalenia Zacinthus Fauelona taken of the turke The pope flyeth for feare of the turke Hydruntum taken These two Empires were Constantinople and Trapezunce Of these Ianizarites read before pag. 636. Baiazetes slayeth his brothers mother and his two nephewes Readbefore pag 734. False treasoÌ„ worthely recompensed Lithostomus Moncastrum Christian fortes subdued o the turke The turke ouerthrowen at Tarsus Dyrachium taken of the turke The turke against the Venetians The Christians caryed away captiues Peloponesus agayne inuaded by the turke Methone taken of the turkes and miserably destroyed Coron Pilus CrisseuÌ„ yelded to the turkes Châ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Lâ—â—◠〈…〉 Ilan◠〈…〉 red of 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 Truce 〈◊〉 the Vâ—â—â—â— the 〈◊〉 Warre 〈◊〉 Sophus 〈◊〉 iazetes Caragius the turkes captayne taken prisoner slaine of Sophus Halibassa the turkes captayne slaine Rest geuen to the Christians by the discorâ— of the turkes Zelymus made Emperour against his fathers will What these Ianizarites mere read pag. 736. The counsaile of Baiazetes to his sonne Zelymus The displeasure of Baiazetes against his sonne Zelymus The dissembling wordes of Zelymus to his father Zelymus the sonne poysoneth his father Zelymus the 11. after Ottomannus The crueltie of Zelymus against his father and his bretheren The crueltie of Zelymus against his cousins Ex Christ. Richerio Zelymus the turke warreth against his brother The crueltie of Zelymus against his brother The two sonnes of Acomates flie away from the tyrannie of Zelymus the turke The prouideÌ„ce of God in stirring vp occasions for his people Warre betweene Zelymus and Sophus the PersiaÌ„ king Warre betweene Zelymus and Aladulus an other turke PreparatioÌ„ of warre betweene Zelymus c the Christians The turke called away from the Christians A turkishe vowe Campson the Sultane or ruler of the Egiptians Mamalucy Caierbeius â—alse to his maister Campson slaine TomouÌ„beius made Sultane of Egipt TomouÌ„beius executed A worthy destruction of the Mamaluci forsaking their faith and religion Note againe the prouidence of God The death of Zelymus The beastly crueltie of Zelymus against his kinred The cruelty of Zelymus against his sonne Solyman A note of Gods prouidence for the reformation of religyon SolymaÌ„nus the 12 after OttomaÌ„nus Read in the pag. 738. Belgradum againe besieged of the turke Read before pag 743. Discorde amongest Christian princes what mischiefe it bringeth The pope so busie against Luther that he neglecteth the ruine of ChristeÌ„ dome True compassioÌ„ lacking in the Pope The city of Belgrade wonne of the turke Rhodes besieged Christian princes negligent in helping their felowes Rhodes wonne of the turke Christen warres against the turke neuer speede well vnder the guiding of Popishe prelates Christians were the speciall gunners to the turke The rathe archbishop slaine king Ludouicke perished in war
Ferdinandus K. of Hungary Buda Varadinum and the citie called Quinquecclesia taken of the turke Contention betweene Ferdinandus and Vaiuoda Vaiuoda flieth to the turks Horrible examples of the turkes crueltie The esseminate cowardlynes of the souldiours in Altenburch The castell of Altenburch yelded to the turke Neapolis besieged of the turke The turkes army of 250 thousand souldiours Vienna be sieged of the turke Fridericus Earle palalatine captaine of Vienna Fridericus Earle Palatine WilliaÌ„ Rogendorffius Nicholaus Earle of Salme captaines of Vienna Preparation within the Citie of Vienna against the turke Prouision made for victualing the citie Good couÌ„saile experience refused Rashe hardines of our Christians in skirmishing with the turke The wretched cruelty of the turkes against the Christian captiues The message of the turke to the Viennians The aunswere of the VieÌ„nians to the turke Solymanus approcheth Vienna with three great armies A messenger sent from FerdinaÌ„dus to Vienna The siege of Vienna beginneth The Lordes power and prouidence in keeping the Citie of Vienna The slaughter of the turkes about the walles of Vienna The manlynes of Captaine Rogendorffius against the turkes An other assault of the turkes against Vienna Another repulse of the turkes Vienna vndermined by the turkes An other assault of the turkes against Vienna The turkes agayne repulsed An other assault of the turkes repelled The turkes at variance among themselues The Turke and his souldiours could not agree The turke entreateth his soldiours Compulâ—â— of men serueth not where the Lord defendeth The slaughter of the turkes at Vienna The turkes slaine The turke beginneth to take couÌ„saile to retire Solyman remoueth raiseth his siege from Vienna The turkes campe pursued in their flight The priuy purpose of the turkes preuented The rest of the turkes slaine in the campe The mercyfull protection of God ouer Christendome Gods blessing goeth with the mainteyners of his true worship religion Ex Melchiore Soitero lib. 2. de Bello Pannonico Nicholaus Iureschitz a valiaunt Captayne A miraculous example of the Lordes protection prouidence The turke falseth his siege from Gunza The Emperour Charles Ferdinandus begin at length to sturre against the turke The turke refuseth to tarry the Christian army The turke warreth against the king of Tunece Tunece wonne of the turke Tunece recouered againe by Charles the Emperour Taurus a citie of Persia taken of the turkes 20 thousand turkes slaine of the Persian king Corcyra the Iland wasted spoyled by the turkes The I le of Zazinthus Cythara spoiled by the turkes Captiues of the Christians Warre betwene the Egyenetes the turkes Egina taken of the turke The citizens of Egina slaine of the turkes The women of Egina miserably entreated and captiued of the turkes The Ile Parum and Naxus Ciclades subdued of the turke Ex Ioan. Crispo Note what hurt commeth by the dissention of ChristiaÌ„ princes Stiria is a countrey or prouince neare adioyning to Austria The falshood of the turke with the Venetians Nouum CastelluÌ„ in Dalmatia ouer thro wen by the turke the people slaine The contention in Hungary betweene FerdinaÌ„dus Vaiuoda his successors The communication betweene Monachus and Ferdinandus What hurt may come of rashe suspicion The turke called agayne into Hungary by the dislentioÌ„ betweene Monachus and Ferdinandus The cowardly viage of Ioachimus Duke of Brandeburg against the turke 500. Christian souldiours taken and carried away of the turkes The horrible punishments practised of the turkes against the Christians Ex Ioan Ramo de rebus turcicis lib. 2. The falsenes of the turke in keeping no promise with the Christians An horrible example of the beastly crueltie of the false turke Ex epist. Marti Stellae de successibus tur carum c. The castle of Walpo wonne of the turkes A notable example of Gods iudgementes lighting vpon themselues which meane false hoode toward the innocent The citie of 5. churhes yelded to the turkes The byshop leaueth his flocke in the bryers Soclosia a towne in Hungary subdued of the turkes Couetousnes of wordly goodes is the destructioÌ„ of many a man The turke keepeth no promise Example what commeth by Christen mens yelding to the turke Strigonium a citie in Hungary besieged of the turkes Negligence of Christen princes in publicke defence Three speciall helpes of the turkes in winning townes cities The citizens of Strigonium flie the citie The towne of Strigonium destroyed after the flying of the citizens the castell defended An Italian feare in yelding the castle of StrigoniuÌ„ to the turke A turkishe truce taken with the Christians they not knowing thereof The false turkes neuer true in promise The miserable affliction of our Christen souldiours taken at Strigonium Holy souldiours Martius slaine of the turkes for their faithfull religion Ex Ioan. Mart. Stella in Epist. ad fratros Diuers opinions of the VieÌ„nians touching these miserable afflicted souldiours Tath subdued of the turkes Victory hath neuer successe vnder awicked captaine and swearer Alba Regalis besieged of the turke The turkes deuise in filling vpp the marishe A stratageme of the Christians against the turkes A note touching the French king that then was Ex epist. Ioan. Marti Stella ad fratres De Turcar. in Hungaria successibus The outwardwalles gott by the turkes A miserable slaughter of Christen souldiours Let neuer good Christians stand to the turks gentlenes The cruelty of the turks against the Christians What it is to yeld to turke and to sticke to hys promise The CityzeÌ„s of Alba destroyed of the turkes Halfe of a young child found in the satchell of a captiue coming froÌ„ the turkes The castell of Pappa wonne of the turkes WizigraduÌ„ gotte and surprised of the turkes The false dealing and crueltie of the turkes against the Christians Nouum castellum in Dalmatia wonne by the turkes The discord of ChristiaÌ„ princes within themselues The turke occasioned to returne out of Europe into Asia The prouidence of God for his Christians An other example of Gods prouidence for his Sylyman the turke murdereth Mustapha his owne sonne The louing prouidence of our Lord for his Christians Good hope at Gods hand to be conceaued of Christians Good newes of the turkes lately repulsed by the Christian. 8000. turkes slaine Christian captiues rescued taken from the turkes 800. turkes slaine A great captaine of the turkes slaine and his treasure taken The turke pearcing into Italy Coniectures why it is to be feared that the turke shall gette Rome The phrophesi of the 18. chap. of the Apoccalipseâ— pounded The third cause Ex Paulo Iouâ—o The fourth cause Ex Ioan. Auentino Annal. lib. 3. fol. 30. A prophesi A caucat to the bishop of Rome if he be wise Ex Pauâ—o Ionio Authours of the turkes stories Persecution vnder the turkes Comparison betwene the persecutions of the primitiue church and of the latter church Three speciall enemies of Christes Church Apoc. 16. The crueltie of the furious turkes described Two things to
the Turkes The tyme of Antichrist examined by prophesies One Antichrist prefigureth an other Apoc. cap. 20. Machab. lib. cap. 1. The furious crueltie of Antiochus agaynst Gods people 1. Machab. cap. 1. Daniel 9. Antiochus a figure of the Turke Ex Lyra in Glosa ordin cap. 1. Machab The name of Antichrist what it conteyneth Dan. cap. 11. Dani. cap. 7. Vide Rodulphum Gualt de Antichristo The first note The second note Helpes of the Christians against the Pope The third note The fourth note The fift note Mauzzim the popes God The sixte note The 7. and 11. chapt of Dan. meaneth the great Antichrist the turke Ezech. cap. 38.39 Gog Magog The prophesies of the new Testament concerning the 〈◊〉 * 2. Thessal 2. The defection in time of Antichrist declared Vide supra pag. 903. The place of S. Paule 1 Thess. 2. applyed 〈◊〉 the Pope Ex Bonifacio Extrauag Apoc. 20. The 7. trumpets of the 7. Angels in the Apoc. expounded The sixt trumpet Loosing of the angels vpon the ryuer Euphrates Apoc. 19. Apoc. cap. 16. The 4. beastes in the Apoc. mean the 4. Monarchies The kings of the East Drying vp of Euphrates Ibid. Ibid. An exhortation of the holy ghost to the faithfull Apoc. cap. 13. The prophesie of the Apo. cap. 13. discussed The beast hauing hornes like the lambe must needes meane the Pope The first reason Ex Boni 8. Extr. de Maiorit obed The second reason Anno. 1553. Vid. supra pag. 649. The Pope hath the hornes of a Lambe but the mouth of a Dragon The third reason The two beastes in the 13. cap. of the Apoc. expounded A description of the Citie and Monarchy of Rome The description of the beast with the two hornes of the Lambe Apoc. 13. The Pope hauing all the rule and power of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 13. The fourth reason The fift reason Rome almost dead Roma called Odacria To geue life to the image of the beast The Image of Rome speaketh again as cruelly as euer it did Et faciet eos occidi qui non adorauerint imaginem beitiae Apoc. 13. The sixt reaâ—â—â— The number of the name of the beast discussed 666. The number of these letters in greeke maketh the full number of 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicol. de Lyra and other popish writers deceaued in the 13. chap. of the Apoc. Apoc. cap. 20. The bynding and loosing out of Sathan examined Three things to be noted in thys prophesie What is meant by bynding vp of Sathan The tyme of bynding vp of Sathan Apoc. 11.13.42 monethes in the Apoc. declared Supputation of yeares betwene the beginning ceasing the persecutions in the primitiue Church Vide supra pag. 385. The pope proued to be the seconde beast mentioned in the Apoc. ca. 13. Et hic bibet de vino irae dei Apoc 14. The 3. part of the prophesie for the loosing out of Satan The beginning of the Turkes progenie The tyme of Transubstantiation The tyme of the Turkes Ex Laonico Chalcondyla lib. 1. The prophesie of Ezech. ca. 38. Methodius prophesies The booke of Methodius mistaken The prophesies of Methodius concerning the turkes Viij weekes of yeares counting euery weeke for a Sabbate of yeres that is euery day for a yeare commeth to 56. yeares The first state or alteration of tymes concerning the comming of the Saracens Christians plagued by the Saraces The seconde state or alteration of the Christians relieued of theyr plagues and tribulations Christians abusing Gods benefites The third alteratioÌ„ by the coÌ„ming of the turks The reigne of Christian kinges in Hierusalem lasted 88. yeares ' an 1187. By this resigning vp the crowne to the crucifixe in Golgotha is signified the ceasing of the reigne of the christiaÌ„s in HierusaieÌ„ tyll the coÌ„ming of Christ. By this tribe of DaÌ„ and the citie Chorosaim Bethsaida CapernauÌ„ is signified Gods great malediction vpon Antichrist The destruction of Antichrist The interpretation The comming of the Saracens The coming of the turks Seythia iux ta Câ—ueassi Victory of the Christians gotte against the Saracens Ex Paulo Ionio The citie of HierusaleÌ„ recouered by the Christias froÌ„ the Saracens Hierusalem possessed of the christians 88. yeares HierusaleÌ„ woÌ„ne froÌ„ the ChristiaÌ„s by the turkes an 1187. The coÌ„ming markes of Antichrist described The time of Antichrist Petrus Lombardus Gratianus Innocentius 3. TraÌ„substaÌ„tiatioÌ„ The first persecution by the church of Rome Dominicke Frier Fraunces Ex antonino part 3. tit 19. c 1. The orders of Fryers beganne The pope exalting himselfe aboue kings and Emperours Notes of Antichrist Enoch Hely Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage Vid. in primo Tom. operuÌ„ IohaÌ„ Hus. De Anatomia Hierome of Prage a prophet and Martir The nearnes of the Lordes iudgement The prophesy of Hildegardis and Brigiete of the Turkes Ex Auentino lib. 3. Annalium A caneat to England Ex Brigitta lib. 4. cap. 57. Prophesies of Brigitte against Rome The Prophesies of Erithrea Sybilla named Eriphila Ex Erithrea Sybilla in suo Nazilographo i. imperiali scripto Prophesies of Sybilla of christ By his feete is supposed to be ment the yeares of his age * The lambe lying c. that is the Church without trauell shall be mainteyned with some liuing or possessions of chiefe rulers By these foure beasts is ment the 4. Monarchies of the worlde that is the multitude of all the kingdoÌ„s of the Gentiles as is in the Apocal. By the citye of Aeneas is ment Rome The prophesies of Sybilla of Antichrist The 663. feet do meane the yeares of his reigne These two starres seme to meane Iohn Hus Hierome who being put to death by the pope their doctrine rose agayne more strongly then before Ex libro cui titulus onne Ecclesiae By the prince of the Gentiles the turkes do here meane the kingdomes and dominions of the Christians whom they call Gentiles becuse they are not circumcised after their maner The exposition of the turkes prophesie Ex Barthol Georgienitz An other â—â—â—â—sition Gen. 25. The SaraceÌ„s beginne their reigne The Egiptian Saracens or Sultans The SaraceÌ„s kingdome ceaseth The turkes kingdome beginneth Transubstantiation Vide supra pag. 312. Tartarians Portae Caspiae Saladinus stocke in Aegipt ceaseth Mamaluchi in Aegipt Vide supra pag. 747. Why the pope cannot preuaile against the Turkes God offended with Idolatrie and wrong faith of the Christians A prayer against the Turkes Psal. 119. Galat. 4. Sapien. 5. Elai 55. Genes 6. Iudic. 14. Ioa. 22. Luke 6. Colosl 2. Anno. 1500. A question whether is the greater Antichrist the turke or the Pope Babram and an olde man Martirs Vide supra pag. 737. Diuers kentishin â—n bearing fagots Will Tilsworth Martir The daughter compelled to set fire to her father Tho Barnard Iames Mordon Martirs Father Roberts Martir Father Reuer
are vnprofitable seruants ye haue done but what your bound duety was to doe Luc. 17. Againe here also is to be vnderstand that where such rewardes be ascribed vnto mens deedes it is not for the worthines of the deede it selfe but for the faith of the dooer which faith maketh the worke to bee good in Gods sight for els if an infidell should do the same worke that the christian doth it were nothing but meere sinne before god In that therefore the christian mans worke is accepted be it neuer so small as to giue a cup of cold water the same is onely for his fayth sake that doth it and not for the worke which is done Whereby againe we may learne how faith onely doth iustifie a man and that three maner of wayes First it iustifieth the person in making him accepted and the child of God by regeneration before he begin to doe any good worke Secondly it iustifieth a man from sinne in procuring remission and forgiuenes of the same Thirdly it iustiâ—ieth the good deedes and workes of man not onely in bringing foorth good fruites but also in making the same workes to be good and acceptable in the sight of God which otherwise were impure and execrable in his sight The office therfore of faith and works is diners and must not be coÌ„founded Faith first goeth before and regenerateth a man to God iustifieth him in the sight of god both in couering his yll deedes and in making his good deedes acceptable to God clyming vp to heauen there wrastling with God and his iudgement for righteousnes for saluation and for euerlastins life Workes and charitie folow faith and are exercised here vpon the earth glorieth onely before man but not before God in shewing foorth obedience both to God to man Further then this our good works doe not reach nor haue any thing to doe in the iudgement of God touching saluation I speake of our good workes as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 7. as they be ours imperfect For els if our workes could be perfect according to the perfection of the lawe as Christ wrought them in the perfection of his flesh that is if we could perfect them as it is sayd Qui fecerit ea viuet in eis But now seeing the imbecilitie of our flesh cannot atteine thereto it foloweth thereof that all glory of iustifying is taken from workes and transferred onely to faith And thus much concerning the principall contents of S. Paules doctrine Wherein the Church of the auncient Romanes first was grounded planted and so continued in the same or at least did not much alter during the prymityue state of the Church Likewise the same forme of doctrine the latter Romanes also that followed shoulde haue mainteined and not haue fallen away for any mans preaching but hold him accursed yea if he were any Apostle or an Angell from heauen teaching any other doctrine besides that institution which they haue receaued Gal. 1 for so were they warned before by the Apostle S Paule to doe And yet notwithstanding all this forewarning diligent instruction of this blessed Apostle of the Gentiles what a defection of faith is fallen among the Gentiles especially among the Romanes whereof the sayde Apostle also foretold them so long before forepropheciyng That the day of the Lord shall not come except there come a defectioÌ„ before and that the man of sinne should be reuealed the proude aduersary of God c. Thei 2 meaning no doubt by this defection a departing and a falling from that faith which the holy ghost had then planted by his ministery among the Gentiles As we see it now come to passe in the Church of Rome Which Church is so gone from the faith that S. Paule taught that if he were now aliue and saw these decrees and decretals of the Bishop of Rome these heapes of ceremonies traditions these masse bokes these Portuses these Festiuals and Legendes these Processionals Dymmes and Sequences these Beades and Graduals the maner of their inuocation their Canons Censures latter Councels such swarmes of superstitious Monkes and Friers such sectes of so many dyuers religions the Testament of S. Fraunces the rule of S. Benedict of S Brigit of S. Anthony c. the intricate subtelâ—ies labyrynthes of the scholemen the infinite cases and distinctioÌ„s of the Canonistes the Sermons in Churches the assertions in schooles the glory of the Pope the pride of the clergie the cruelty of persecuting Prelates with their officials and promotors he woulde saye this were not a defection but rather a plaine destruccion and ruine of fayth neyther that this were any true Church of Christ but a newe found Religion or paganisme rather brought in vnder the shadow of Christianity wherin remaineth almost no thing els but the name onely of Christ and the outwarde forme of hys religion the true vayne and effect whereof is vtterly decayed as to them which list to examine all the parts of this new Romish religion may some appeare For saue onely that they pretend the solemne forme and wordes of the Crede and are Baptised confessing the name of the father the sonne holy ghost As touching all other points and true sincerity of the Christian faith which they outwardly professe they are vtterly degenerated from that which S. Paule the word of God first had taught them First they coÌ„fesse the father in word but his will in his word expresed they renounce his grace they acknowledg not his benefits and promisses giuen vnto vs in his sonne they receaue not the vigor of his law they feele not the terrour of his iudgements earnestly they feare not his commaundementes they obserue by the traditions and commaundements of their owne Likewise the name of Christ his sonne in worde they confesse but his office indede they deface and deminish his glory they seeke not but vnder his name they do seke their owne the power of his bloud and passion they know not or els dissemble it who neither they admit to be the head of his Church alone nor sauiour alone nor only to be our patrone aduocate but match with him our Lady and other patrons so that euery Parish almost in christendome hath his peculiar patrone besides Christ to hold by In like maner they confesse the name of the holy Ghost But God himselfe knoweth how farre they are from the comfort knowledge and tast of the holy ghost as wel may appeare by their councels by their expounding of Scripture by their superstitious ceremonies by their outward worshipping and Idolatrous inuocation to stockes and stones and dead creatures by their scrupulous obseruatioÌ„ of dayes tunes places numbers gestures And no lesse also by their doctrine which defraudeth the poore harts of simple Christians of their due consolation ioy and liberty in the holy Ghost kepeth them still in a seruile bondage and a doubtfull incertainty of their
condition of the kingdome of Christ the vanitie of the one and stablshment of the other The vnprosperous and vnquiet state of the one ruled by mans violence wisdome And the happy successe of the other euer ruled by Gods blessing prouidence The wrath and reuenging hand of god in the one and his mercy vpon the other The world I call al such as be without or against Christ eyther by ignoraunce not knowing him or by heathenish life not following him or by violence resisting him On the otherside the kingdome of Christ in this world I take to be all them which belong to the faith of Christ here take his part in this world against the world The nūber of whom although it be much smaller then the other and alwaies lightly is hated molested of the world yet it is the number which the Lorde peculiarly doth blesse and prosper and euer will And this number of Christes subiects is it which we cal the visible Church here in earth Which visible Church hauing in it selfe a difference of 2 sorts of people so is it to be deuided in two parts of which the one standeth of such as be of outward profession only the other which by election inwardly are ioyned to Christ the first in words lips seemeth to honor Christ and are in the visible Church onely but not in the Church inuisible partaketh the outward Sacraments of Christ but not the inward blessing of Christ the other are both in the visible also in the inuisible Church of Christ which not in wordes onely and outward profession but also in hart doe truely serue honour Christ partaking not onely the Sacramentes but also the heauenly blessings and grace of Christ. And many times it happeneth that as betweene the world and the kingdome of Christ there is a continual repugnaunce so betweene these two partes of this visible Church aforesaid oft times groweth great variaunce and mortal persecution insomuch that sometime the true church of Christ hath no greater enimes than of their owne profession and company as happened not onely in the time of Christ and his Apostles but also from time to time almost continually Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 1. But especially in these latter daies of the Church vnder the persecution of Antichrist and his retinue as by the reading of this volume more manifestly hereafter may appeare At the first preaching of Christ and comming of the Gospel who should rather haue knowen receaued him then the Phariseis and Scribes of that people which had his law And yet who persecuted and reiected him more then they themselues What followed They in refusing Christ to be their king and chosing rather to be subiect vnto Caesar were by the sayde their owne Caesar at length destroyed when as Christes subiectes the same time escaped the daunger Whereby it is to be learned what a dangerous thing it is to refuse the Gospell of God when it is so gently offered The like example of Gods wrathful punishment is to be noted no lesse in the Romanes also themselues For when Tiberius Caesar hauing receaued by letters frō Pontius Pilate of the doings of christ of his miracles Resurrection and ascention into heauen how he was receiued as God of many was himselfe also mooued with beliefe of the same and did conferre thereof with the whole Senate of Rome to haue Christ adored as god but they not agreyng therunto refused him because that contrary to the law of the Romanes he was consecrated said they for God before the Senate of Rome had so decred approued him c. Tertul. Apol. cap. 5. Thus the vaine Senate following rather the law of man then of God which were contented with the Emperour to reigne ouer them were not cōtented with the meeke king of glory the sonne of God to be their king And therfore after much like sort to the Iewes were scourged and intrapped for their vniust refusing by the same way which they themselues did preferre For as they preferred the Emperour and reiected Christ so the iust permission of God did stirre vp their owne Emperours against them in such sort that both the Senatours themselues were almost all deuoured the whole Citye most horrible afflicted the space almost of 300. yeares togither For first the same Tiberius which for a great part of his reigne was a moderate and a tollerable Prince afterward was to them a sharpe and heauy tyraunt who neyther fauoured his owne mother nor spared his owne nenewes nor the Princes of the City such as were his own counselers of whom to the number of xx he left not past two or three aliue so cruell was he to the Citye that as the story recordeth Nullus a paena hominum cessabat dies ne religiosus quidem ac sacer Suet. reporteth him to be so sterne of nature and tirannical that in time of his reigne very many were accused and condemned with their wiues children Maydes also first defloured then put to death In one day he recordeth .xx. persons to be drawen to the place of execution By whom also through the iust punishment of God Pilate vnder whom Christ was crucified was apprehended and accused at Rome deposed then banished to the towne of Lyonce and at length did slaye himselfe Neither did Herode and Cayphas long escape of whome more followeth hereafter Agrippa also by him was cast into prison albeit afterward he was restored In the raigne of Tiberius the Lord Iesus the sonne of God in the xxxiiij yeare of his age which was the xvij of this Emperour by the malice of the Iewes suffered his blessed passion for the conquering of sinne death and Sathan the Prince of this world and rose againe the third day After whose blessed Passion resurrertiō this foresayde Tiberius Nero otherwise called Liberius Mero liued vj. yeares duryng which time no persecution was yet stirring in Rome against the Christians through the commaundemēt of the Emperour In the raigne also of this Emperour and yeare which was the next after the passion of our Sauior or somewhat more S. Paule was conuerted to the faith After the death of Tiberius whē he had raigned 23. yeares succded C. Caesar Caligula Claudius Nero and Domitius Nero which 3. were likewise such scourges to the Senate and people of Rome that the first not onely tooke other mens wiues violentlye from them but also defloured three of his owne sisters and afterward banished them So wicked he was that he cōmaunded himselfe to be worshipped as God and temples to be erected in his name and vsed to sit in the temple among the Gods requiring his images to be set vp in all temples and also in the temple of Ierusalem whiche caused great disturbaunce among the Iewes and then began the abhomination of desolation to be set vp in the holy place spoken of
they fulfilled that Scripture which is spoken of in Esay Let vs take away the iust man because he is not profitable for vs Wherfore let them eat the fruits of their workes Therfore they went vp to throwe doune the iust man and said among themselues let vs stone this iust man Iames they toke him to smite him with stones for he was not yet dead wheÌ„ he was cast doune but he turning fell doune vpon his knees saying O Lord God Father I beseech thee to forgeue them for they know not what they do But wheÌ„ they had smitten him with stones one of the priests of the children of Rechas the sonne of Charobim spake to them the testimonie which is in Ieremie the Prophet leaue off what do ye The iust man praieth for you And one of those which were present tooke a Fullers instrument wherwith they did vse to beat and purge cloth and smote the iust man on his head and so he finished his Martyrdome and they buried him in the same place his piller abideth yet by the temple He was a true testimonie to the Iewes and the Gentiles And shortly after Vespasianus the Emperour destroying the land of Iewrie brought them into captiuitie These thinges being thus written at large of Egesippus do well agree to those which Clement did write of him This Iames was so notable a man that for his iustice he was had in honour of all men in so much that the wise men of the Iewes shortly after his Martyrdome did impute the cause of the besieging of Ierusalem and other calamities which happened vnto theÌ„ to no other cause but vnto the violence and iniurie done to this man Also Iosephus hath not left this out of his historie where he speaketh of him after this maner These things so chanced vnto the Iewes for a vengeance because of that iust man Iames which was the brother of Iesu whoÌ„ they called Christ for the Iewes killed him although he was a righteous man The same Iosephus declareth his death in the same booke and chapter saying Caesar hearing of the death of Festus sent Albinus the Lieuetenant into Iewrie but Ananus the yonger being bishop and of the sect of the Saduces trusting that he had obtained a conuenient tyme seing that Festus was dead and Albinus entred on his iourney he called a Councell and calling many vnto him among whom was Iames by name the brother of Iesu which is called Christ he stoned them accusing them as breakers of the law Whereby it appeareth that many other besides Iames also the same tyme were Martyred and put to death amoÌ„g the Iewes for the faith of Christ. A description of the X. first persecutions in the Primitiue Church THese thinges being thus declared for the Martyrdome of the Apostles and the persecutioÌ„ of the Iewes Now let vs by the grace of Christ our Lord comprehend with like breuitie the persecutions raised by the Romaines against the Christians in the Primitiue age of the Church during the space of 300. yeares till the comming of godly Constantine which persecutions are reckoned of Eusebius and by the most part of writers to the number of x. most speciall Wherin meruailous it is to see and read the numbers incredible of Christian innocents that were slaine and tormented some one way some an other As Rabanus saith saith truly Alij ferro perempti Alij flammis exusti Alij flagris verberati Alij vectibus perforati Alij cruciati patibulo Alij demersi pelagi periculo Alij viui decoriati Alij vinculis mancipati Alij linguis priuati Alij lapidibus obruti Alij frigore afflicti Alij fame cruciati Alij truncatis manibus aliÃsue caesis membris spectaculum contumeliae nudi propter nomen Domini portantes c. That is Some slaine with sword Some burnt with fire Some with whips scourged Some stabbed in with forkes of iron Some fastned to the crosse or gibbet Some drowned in the sea Some their skinnes pluckt of Some their tongues cut off Some stoned to death Some killed with cold Some starued with hunger Some their hands cut off or otherwise dismembred haue bene so left naked to the open shame of the world c. Whereof Augustine also in his booke De Ciuit. 22. cap. 6. thus saith Ligabantur includebantur caedebantur torquebantur vrebantur laniabantur trucidabantur multiplicabantur non pugnantes pro salute sed salutem contemnentes pro seruatore Whose kindes of punishments although they were diuers yet the maner of constancie in all these Martyrs was one And yet notwithstaÌ„ding the sharpenes of these so many and sundry tormeÌ„ts and like cruelnes of the tormentors yet such was the nuÌ„ber of these constant Saintes that suffered or rather such was the power of the Lord in his Saints that as Hierome in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus saith Nullus esset dies qui non vltra quinque millium numerum Martyrum reperiri posset ascriptus excepto die Kalendarum Ianuarij That is There is no day in the whole yeare vnto which the nuÌ„ber of fine thousand Martyrs cannot be ascribed except onely the first day of Ianuary * The first Persecution THe first of these x. persecutions was stirred vp by Nero Domitius the vj. Emperour before mentioned about the yeare of our Lord 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperour was so fierce against the Christians as Eusebius recordeth Vsque adeò vt videres repletas humanis corporibus ciuitates iacentes mortuos simul cum paruulis senes foemi narúmque absque vlla sexus reuerentia nudata in publico reiectáque starent cadauera That is In so much that a man might then see cities lye full of mens bodies the old there lying together with the yong and the dead bodies of women cast out naked without all reuerence of that sexe in the opeÌ„ streets c. Likewise Orosius writing of the said Nero saith that he was the first which in Rome did raise vp persecution against the Christians and not onely in Rome but also through all the prouinces therof thinking to abolish and to destroy the whole name of Christians in all places c. Whereunto accordeth moreouer the testimonie of Hierome vpon Daniel saying thà t many there were of the Christians in those dayes which seyng the filthy abominations and intollerable crueltie of Nero thought that he should be Antichrist c. In this persecution among many other Saintes the blessed Apostle Peter was condemned to death and crucified as some doe write at Rome albeit othersome and not without cause doe doubt thereof concerning whose lyfe and hystory because it is sufficiently described in the text of the Gospell and in the Actes of S. Luke chap. 4.5 12. I neede not heere to make any great repetytion therof As touching the cause and maner of hys death diuers ther be which make relation as Hierome Egesippus Eusebius
M CC.L. and threw them in prison And not long after the sayd Alexander with Euentius his Deacon and Hermes and the rest were burned in a fornace Theodulus an other Deacon of Alexander seeyng and rebuking the crueltie of the tyrant suffered also the same Martyrdome Quirinus also the same tyme as sayth Antoninus hauyng first his tongue cut out then his hands and feete afterward was beheaded and cast to the dogs Equilinus saith that he was beheaded and cast into Tyber in the raigne of the Emperour Claudius but that cannot be Albeit Platina maketh relation but onely of Alexander with his two Deacons aforesayd Declaring moreouer that in the tyme of this Bishop Saphira of Antioch and Sabina a Romaine suffred Martyrdome Florilegus the Author of Flores Historiarum affirmeth that Alexander Byshoppe of Rome was beheaded seuen myles out of Rome where he lyeth buried anno 105. but that agreeth not with the Chronicles aboue recited Eusebius recordeth of him no more but that in the third yeare of Hadrian he ended his life and office after he had bene bishop ten yeares Diuers miracles are reported of this Alexander in the Canon Legends and liues of Saintes which as I deny not but may be true so because I cannot auouch them by any graue testimony of auncient writers therefore I dare not affirme them but dd referre them to the authors Patrons thereof where they are founde Notwithstandyng whatsoeuer is to be thought of his miracles this is to bee affirmed and not doubted but that he was a godly vertuous Bishop And as I say of his miracles the like iudgement also I haue of the ordinaunces both of him and of Euaristus his predecessour testified in the Popes Decrees by Gratianus as 93. Dist. cap. Diaconi where is sayd that Euaristus deuided diuers titles in the Citie of Rome to the Priestes also ordeined in euery Citie vij Deacons to associate and assist the bishop in his preaching both for his defence and for the witnes of truth Notwithstāding if probable coniectures might stand against the authoritie of Gratianus and his decrees here might be doubted whether this absolute ordination of Priestes was first forbidden by Euaristus and whether the intitulation of Priestes was first by hym brought in or not wherein an instaunce may be geuen to the contrary that this intitulation seemeth to take his first beginning at the Councell of Chalcedon and of Pope Vrbane in the Councell of Placent In the which Councell of Chalcedon the wordes of the Canon making no mention of Euaristus at all doe expressely forbid that any Ecclesiasticall person eyther Priest or Deacon should be ordayned absolutely otherwise the imposition of handes without some proper title of the party ordayned to stād voyde and frustrate c. And likewise Vrbanus in the counsell of Placentia doth decree the same alledging no name of Euaristus but the statutes of former Councels Moreouer in the time of Euaristus the Church then being vnder terrible persecutions was deuided in no peculiar Parishes or Cures wherby any title might rise but was scattered rather in corners and desertes where they could beast hide themselues And as the Church of Rome in those dayes was not deuided into seuerall Parrishes or Cures as I suppose so neyther was then any such open or solemne preaching in Churches that the assistaunce or testimony of vii Deacons eyther could auayle among the multitude of the Heathen or els needed amongst the christian secret congregations Agayne the constitution of vii Deacons seemeth rather to spring out of the counsell of Neocesaria long after Euaristus where it was appoynted that in euery Citie were it neuer so small there should be vii Deacons after the rule And this rule the sayd Councel taketh out of the booke of the Actes of the Apostles making no word or mentiō of Euaristus at all Dist. 93. but these as is said be but onely coniectures not denying that which is commonly receiued but onely shewing what may bee doubted in their Epistles Decretall More vnlike it seemeth to be true that is recorded and reported of Alexander that he should be the first founder and finder of holy water mixt with salt to purge and sanctifie them vpon whom it is sprinckeled The wordes of the Dist. be these Aquam sale conspersam in populis benedicimus vt ea cuncti aspersi sanctificentur purificentur quod omnibus sacerdotibus faciendū esse mandamus c. That is We blesse water mixt with salte among the people that all men being sprinckled therewith may be sanctified and purified And this we commaund all Priests to do c. The opinion is also but how true I haue not to affirme that by him first was ordained water to bee mixte with wine in the chalice Item that by him was brought in the piece of the Masse Canon beginning Qui pridie c. And thus much of these foresayd Bishops of Rome martired in the dayes of Traian and Hadrian * The third Persecution BEtwene the second Romain persecution and the third was but one yeare vnder the Emperour Nerua After whom succeeded Traianus And after him followed the third persecution So the second and the third are noted of some to be both one hauing no more difference but one yere betwene them This Traianus if we looke well vpon his politike and ciuill gauernance might seeme in comparison of other a right worthy and commendable Prince Much familiar with inferiors and so behauing himself toward his subiectes as he himselfe would haue the Prince to be to him if he himselfe were a subiect Also he was noted to be a great obseruer of iustice in so much that when he ordained any Pretour geuing to him the sword he would bid him vse the sword against his enemies in iust causes and if he him selfe did otherwise then iustice to vse then his power against him also But for all these vertues toward christian Religion he was impious and cruel who caused the third persecution of the Church In the which persecution Plinie the second a man learned and famous seyng the lamentable slaughter of Christians and mooued therewith to pitie wrote to Traianus of the pitifull persecution certifiyng him that there were many thousāds of them daily put to death of which none did any thing contrary to the Romaine lawes worthy persecution sauing that they vsed to gather together in the morning before day and sing Hymnes to a certaine God whom they worshipped called Christ. In all other their ordinaunces they were godly and honest Wherby the persecution by commaundement of the Emperour was greatly stayd and diminished The forme and copy of which Epistle of Plinie I thought here not inconuenient to set downe as followeth * The Epistle of Plinie an Heathen Philosopher to Traiane the Emperour IT is my propertie and maner my soueraigne to make relation of all those thinges vnto you
wherein I doubt For who can better either correct my slackenesse or instruct mine ignoraunce then you I was neuer yet present my selfe at the exaamination and execution of these Christians And therfore what punishment is to be administred and how farre or how to proceede in such Inquisitions I am plaine ignoraunt not able to resolue in the matter whether any difference is to bee had in age and person whether the young and tender ought to be with like crueltie intreated as the elder and stronger whether repentance may haue any pardon or whether it may profite him or not to denie which hath bene a ChristiaÌ„ whether the name onely of Christians without other offences or whether the offences ioyned with the name of a Christian ought to be punished In the meane season as touching such Christians as haue bene presented vnto me I haue kept this order I haue inquired the second and third time of them whether they were Christians manacing them with feare of punishment and suche as did perseuere I commaunded to execution For thus I thought that what so euer their profession was yet their stubburnenesse and obstinacie ought to be punished Whether they were also of the same madnesse whom because they were Citizens of Rome I thought to send them backe againe to the Citie Afterward in further processe handling of this matter as the sect did further spread so the more cases did thereof ensue There was a libell offred to me bearing no name wherein was contained the names of many which denied themselues to be Christians contented to doe sacrifice with incense and wine to the Gods and to your Image whiche Image I for that purpose caused to be brought and to blaspheme Christ whereunto none such as were true Christians in deede could be compelled and those I did discharge and let goe Other some confessed that they had bene Christians but afterward denied the same c. Affirming vnto me the whole summe of that sect or errour to consist in this that they were woont at certain times appointed to conuent before day and to sing certaine Hymnes to one Christ their God and to confederate among themselues to abstaine from all theft murther and adulterie to keepe their faith and to defraude no man which done then to departe for that time and afterward to resort againe to take meate in companies together both men and women one with an other yet without any acte of euils In the truth whereof to be further certified whether it were so or not I caused two maidens to bee laied on the Racke and with tormentes to bee examined of the same But finding no other thing in them but onely lewde and immoderate superstition I though to surcease of further inquirie til tyme that I might be further aduertised in the matter from you for so the matter seemed vnto me worthy and needefull of aduisement especially for the great number of those that were in daunger of your statute For very many there were of all ages and states both men women which then were more are like hereafter to incurre the same perill of condemnation For that infection hath crepte not onely in Cities but Villages also and Boroughs about which seemeth that it may be staied and reformed For as much as we see in many places that the Temples of our Gods whiche were woont to be desolate beginne now againe to be frequented and that they bring sacrifices from euerie parte to be solde whiche before verye fewe were founde willing to buie them Whereby it may easilie be coniectured what multitudes of men may bee amended if space and tyme bee giuen them wherein they may be reclaimed The Epistle of Traianus to Plinie THe Acte and Statute my Secundus concernyng the causes of the Christians whiche ye ought to followe ye haue rightlye executed For no suche generall lawe can be enacted wherin all speciall cases particularly can be comprehended Let them not be sought for but if they be brought and conuicted then let them suffer execution So notwithstanding that whosoeuer shall deny himselfe to be a Christian and that he do it vnfainedly in open audience and do sacrifice to our Gods howsoeuer he hath bene suspected before let him be released vpoÌ„ promise of amendment Such libels as haue no names suffice not to any iust crime or accusation for that should geue both an euill President neither doth it agree with the example of our tyme. Tertullian writing vpon this letter of Traianus aboue prefixed thus saith O sentence of a confused necessitie He would not haue them to be sought for as men innocent yet causeth them to be punished as persons gilty And thus the rage of that persecutioÌ„ ceased for a tyme although notwithstanding many naughty disposed men and cruell officers that were which vpon false pretence to accomplishe their wicked myndes ceased not to afflict the Christians in diuers prouinces And especially if any occasioÌ„ were geueÌ„ neuer so litle for the enemies to take hold or if any commotion were raised in the Prouinces abroad by and by the fault was laid vpon the christians As in Hierusalem after that the emperor Traianus had sent doune his commaundement that whosoeuer could be found of the stocke of Dauid he should be enquired out and put to death vpon this Egesippus writing saith that certaine sectaries there were of the Iewish nation that accused Simeon the bishop then of Ierusalem and sonne of Cleophas to come of the stocke of Dauid and that he was a Christian. Of the which his accusers it happened also saith the said Egesippus that certaine of them likewise were apprehended and taken to bee of the stocke of Dauid and so right iustly were put to execution themselues which sought the destruction of other As concerning Simeon the blessed bishop the foresayd Egesippus thus writeth That Simeon the lordes nephew wheÌ„ he was accused to Attalus the Proconsul by the malicious sect of the Iewes to be of the line of Dauid to be a christian was scourged during the space of many dayes together beyng of the age of an hundred and twentie yeres In which his Martyrdome he indured so constant that both the Consul and all the multitude did meruaile to see him of that age so constantly to suffer and so at last being crucified finished his course in the Lord for whome he suffered as partly before also is recorded In this persecution of Traianus aboue specified which Traianus next followed after Nerua besides the other afore mentioned also suffred Phocas bishop of Pontus whome Traianus because he would not do sacrifice to Neptunus caused to be cast into an hote Limekilne and afterward to be put into a skalding bathe where the constant godly Martyr in the testimony of Christ ended his life or rather entred into lâ—â—e Anton. Equil Fascic temporum In the same persecution suffered also Sulpitius and Seruilianus two Romains Whose wiues are
not the death of a sinner but is mercifull to the penitent came of their own accorde to the iudgement seate againe that they might bee examined of the Iudge And for that the Emperour had written backe againe to him that all the confessors should be punished and the other let go and that the Sessions or Sises were now begun which for the multitude that had repayre thether out of euery quarter was marueilous great he caused all the holy martirs to be brought thether that the multitude might beholde them once againe examined them and as many of them as he thought had the Romane fredome he beheaded the residue he gaue to the beastes to be deuoured And truely Christ was much glorified by those which a little before had denied him which againe contrary to the expectation of the Infidels confessed him euen to the death For they were examined a part froÌ„ the rest because of their deliuery which being found Confessours were ioined to the company of the martirs had with them their part But there were then abroade which had no saith at all neither yet so much as the feeling of the wedding garment nor any cogitation at all of the feare of God but blasphemed his waies by the lewd conuersatioÌ„ of their life euen such as were the children of damnation Al the residue ioined theÌ„selues to the congregation which wheÌ„ they were examined one Alexander a phrigian borne and a Phisition which had dwelt long in Fraunce and knowen almost of euery man for the loue he had to God boldnes of speaking neither was he voide of the Apostolicall loue this Alexander standing somewhat neare to the barre by signes and beckes perswaded such as were examined to confesse Christ so that by his countenaunce somtime reioising and some other while sorrowing he was descryed of the standers by The people not taking in good part to see those which now recanted by and by againe to sticke to their first confession they cried out against Alexander as one that was the cause of all this matter And when he was inforced by the Iudge and coÌ„maunded what Religion he was of he aunswered I am a Christian. He had no sooner spoken the worde but he was iudged to the beastes of them to be deuoured The next day following Attalus of whome I made mention a litle before and Alexander were brought foorth together for the gouernour graunting Attalus vnto the people was baited againe of the beasts When these men were brought to the scaffold and had taken a tast of all the instruments that there were prepared for their execution and had suffered the greatest agonie they could put theÌ„ to were also at the length slaine Of whome Alexander neuer gaue so much as a sigh nor held his peace but froÌ„ the bottome of his hart praised and praied to the Lorde But Attalus when he was set in the yron chaire and began to frye and the frying sauour of his burning body began to smell he spake to the multitude in the Romane language Behold sayth hee this is to eate mans flesh which you doe for we neither eate men nor yet coÌ„mit any other wickednes And being demaunded what was the name of their God our God saith he hath no such name as men haue Then said they now let vs see whether your God can helpe you and take you out of our handes or not After this being the last day of the spectacle Blandine againe one PoÌ„ticus a child of xv yeare old was brought forth and this was euery day to the intent they seing the punishment of their fellowes might be compelled thereby to sweare by their Idoles But because they constantly abode in their purpose defied their idols the whole multitude was in a rage with them neither sparing the age of the child nor fauoring the sexe of the woman but put them to all the punishment and paine they could deuise often times inforced them to sweare yet were not able to coÌ„pel them therevnto For Ponticus so being animated of his sister as the Heathâ—ikes standing by did see after he had suffered all torments and paynes gaue vp the ghost This blessed Blandina therefore being the last that suffered after she had like a worthy mother giuen exhortations vnto her children and had sent them before as conquerours to their heauenly kâ—ng and had called to her remembrance al their batels conflicts so much reioiced of her childrens death so hastened her owne as though she had bene bidden to a bridall not in case to be throwne to the wilde beastes After this her pittifull whipping her deliuery to the beasts her tormentes vpon the gridiron at the length she was put in a net and throwne to the wild Bull and when she had bene sufficiently gored wounded with the hornes of the same beast felt nothing of all that chaunced to her for the great hope and consolation she had in Christ heauenâ—y thinges was thus slaine insomuch that the verye Heathen men themselues confessed that there was neuer woman put to death of them that suffered so much as this woman did Neither yet was their furious crueltie thus asswaged against the Christians For the cruel barbarous people like wilde beastes when they be moued knew not when the time was to make an ende but inuented new sundry torments euery day against our bodies Neyther yet did it content theÌ„ when they had put the Christians to death for that they wanted the sense of men for which cause both the magistrate people were vexed at the very harts that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith he that is wicked let him be wicked stil and he that is iust let him be more iust For those which in their prisons they strangled they threw after to the dogs setting keepers both day and night to watch them that they shoulde not be buryed and bringing forth the remnaunt of their bones bodies some halfe burnt some left of the wilde beasts some al â—o be mangled also bringing forth heads of other which were cut of and like maner committed by them to the charge of the keepers to see them remaine vnburied The Gentiles grinded gnashed at the Christians with their teeth seeking which way they might amplifie their punishment some other flouted and mocked them extolling their idoles attributing vnto them the cause of thys crueltie and vengeaunce shewed to vs. Such which were of the meeker sort and seemed to be moued with some pyty did hit vs in the teeth saying where is your God that you so much boast of what helpeth this your religion for which you giue your liues These were the sundrye passions and affects of the Gentiles but the Christians in the meane while were in great heauines that they might not burye the bodies and reliques of the holy Martirs Neither could the dark night serue them to that purpose nor any
loue his Religion become a christian for that is not written yet thus much he obtained that Antoninus writing to his Officers in Asia in the behalfe of the Christians required and coÌ„maunded them that those Christians which onely were founde giltie of any trespasse should suffer and such as were not conuicted should not therfore onely for the name be punished because they were called Christians By these it is apparant with what zeale and faith this Iustinus did striue against the persecutors which as he said could kill onely but could not hurt This Iustinus by the meanes and malice of Crescens the Philosopher as is before declared suffered Martyrdome vnder Marcus Antoninus Verus a little after that Polycarpus was martired in Asia as witnesseth Eusebius Lib. 4. Here is to be gathered how Epiphanius was deceiued in the time of his death saying that he suffered vnder Rusticus the president and Adrian the Emperour being of xxx yeares of age which indeede agreeth not neither with Eusebius nor Ierome nor Swide nor other moe which manifestly declare and testifie how he exhibited his Apology vnto Antoninus Pius which came after Adrian Thus hast thou good Reader the liâ—e of this learned blessed martir although partly touched before yet now more fully amply discoursed for the better commendatioÌ„ of his excellent notable vertues of whose small ende thus writeth Photius saying that he suffering for Christ died cheerefully with honor Thus haue ye heard the whole discourse of Iustinus and of the blessed Saints of Fraunce Vetius Zacharias Sanctus Maturus Attalus Blandina Alexander Alcibiades with other recorded and set foorth by the writing of certaine Christian brethren of the same Church place of Fraunce In the which foresaid writing of theirs moreouer appeareth the great meekenes and modest constancie of the said martirs described in these words such folowers were they of christ who when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal with god being in the same glory with him that they not once nor twise but oft times suffered martyrdome taken againe from the beastes bearing wounds tearinges and skarres in their bodies yet neither woulde counte them selues Martirs neyther woulde they suffer vs so to cal theÌ„ but if any of vs either by word or letter woulde call them Martirs they did vehementlye rebuke them saying that the name of martirdome was to be gyuen to Christ the faithfull and true martir the first borne of the dead the captaine of life testifiyng moreouer that martirdome belongeth to such who by their martirdome were already passed out of this life and whom as christ by their worthy confession hath receiued vnto him selfe and hath sealed vp their Martirdome by their ende finished As for theÌ„ which were not yet consuÌ„mated they said they were not worthy the names of martirs but only were humble and worthy confessours desiring also their brethren with teares to praye without ceasing for their confirmation Thus they performing in deede that whiche belonged to true Martirs in resisting the heathen with much lybertie and great patience without all feare of man being replenished with the feare of God refused to be named of their brethren for martirs And after in the said writing it followeth more they humbled themselues vnder the mightye hand of God by which they were greatly exalted Then they rendred to all men a reason of their faith they accused no man they loosed all they bounde none And for them which so euill did intreate them they praied following the example of Stephen the perfect Martir which sayde O Lord impute not their sinne to them And after againe Neither did they proudly disdaine against them which fell but of such as they had they imparted to them that lacked bearing toward them a motherly affection shedding their plentifull teares for them to God the Father and prayed for their life and saluation and as God gaue it them they also did communicate to their neighbours And thus they as conquerers of all thynges departed to God They loued peace and leauing the same to vs they went to God neither leauyng any molestation to their mother nor sedition or trouble to their brethren but ioye peace concorde and loue to all Out of the same writyng moreouer concernyng these Martyrs of Fraunce afore mentioned is recorded also an other history not vnworthy to be noted taken out of the same booke of Eusebius cap. 3. Which history is this There was among these constaunt and blessed Martirs one Alcibiades as is aboue specified which Alcibiades euer vsed a very straight died receiuing for his foode and sustenaunce nothing els but only bread and water when this Alcibiades now â—eing cast into prison went about to accustome the same straightnes of diet after his vsual maner before it was reueiled by God to Attalus afore mentioned one of the said company being also the same time imprisoned after his first conflict vpon the scaffolde that Alcibiades did not well in that hee refused to vse and take the creatures of God also thereby ministred to other a pernicious occasion of offensiue example Whereupon Alcibiades being aduertised reformed began to take al thinges boldly and with giuing thankes whereby may appeare to all scrupulous consciences not only a wholesome instrucion of the holy Ghost but also here is to be noted how in those dayes they were not destytute of the grace of God but had the holy spirite of God to be their instructor Haec Euseb. The foresaide martirs of Fraunce also the same tyme commended Irenaeus newly then made minister with their letters vnto Eleutherus Bishop of Rome as witnesseth Euseb. in the x. thap of the same booke which Irenaeus fyrst was the hearer of Polycarpus then made minister as is sayde vnder these Martyrs And after their death made Byshop afterward of Lyons in Fraunce and succeded after Photinus Besides this Iustinus there was also the same time in Asia Claudius Apolinaris or Apolinarius Byshop of Hierapolis And also Melito Bishop of Sardis an eloquent learned man much commended of Tertullian who succeeding after the time of the apostles in the reigne of this Antoninus Verus exhibited vnto him learned and eloquent Apologies in defence of Christes Religion like as Quadratus and Aristides aboue mentioned did vnto the Emperour Hadrian whereby they mooued him somewhat to stay the rage of his persecution In like maner did this Apolinaris and Melito stirred vp by God aduenture to defende in writing the cause of the christians vnto this Antoninus Of this Melito Eusebius in his fourth booke making mention excerpeth certaine places of his Apologie in these wordes as followeth Nowe saith he which was neuer seene before the godly suffereth persecution by occasion of certaine Proclamations Edictes proclaimed throughout Asia for vilanous Sichophantes robbers spoylers of other mens goods grounding them selmes vpon those Proclamations and taking occasion of them robbe
openlye night and daye and spoyle those which doe no harme And it followeth after which if it be done by your commaundement be it so well done For a good Prince wyll neuer commaund but good things And so we wil be contented to sustaine the honor of his death This onely wee most humblye beseech your Maiestie that callyng before you and examining the authors of this tumult and cōtention then your grace would iustly iudge whether we are worthy of cruell death or quiet life And then if it be not your pleasure and that it proceedeth not by your occasion which indeede against your barbarous enimies were to badde the more a great deale we are petitioners to your hyghnes that hereafter you wyll vouchsafe to heare vs thus so vexed and oppressed with these kinde of vylanous robberies And verily our Philosophy doctryne did first among the barbarous take place which doctrine fyrst in the daies of Augustus your predecessor when it did raygne and florish thereby your Empire became most famous fortunate and from that time more and more the state of the Romane Empire increased in honor wherof you most happely were made successour and so shall your sonne to Honor therefore this Philosophie which with your Empire sprang vp and came in with Augustus whiche your progenitors aboue al other honored most esteemed And verily this is no small argumēt of a good beginning that since our doctrine flourished in the Empire no misfortune or losse happened frō Augustus time but contrary alwaies victory good and honorable yeres as euer any mā would wishe Onely among all and of all Nero and Domitian beyng kindled by diuers naughty and spitfull persons cauillingly obiected against our doctrine of whom this Sicophanticall slaundring of vs by naughty custome first came and sprang vp But your godly fathers espying the ignoraunce of these oftentimes by their writing corrected their temerous attemptes in that behalfe Among whom your granfather Adrian with many other is read of to haue wrytten of Fundayne the Proconsul and Lieutenāt of Asia And your father your own father I say with whom you ruled in al things wrote to the Cities vnder his signet as the Laersens Thessalonicenses Athenienses and Grecians rashly to innouate or alter nothing of your highnes therfore who in this case is of that sect as your predecessours were yea of a more benigne Philosophicall minde we are in good hope to obtaine our peticion and request Thus much out of the Apologie of Melito who writing to Onesimus geueth to vs this benefite to knowe the true Catalogue the names of al the autentike bookes of the olde Testament receaued in the auncient time of the prymitiue Church Concerning the number names wherof the said Melito in his letter to Onesimus declareth howe that he returning into the parts where these things were done and preached there hee diligently inquired out the bookes aprooued of the old Testament the names wherof in order he subscribeth sendeth vnto him as followeth The fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomi Iesus Naue The Iudges Ruth Foure bookes of Kings Two bookes Paralipomenon The Psalmes Prouerbes of Salomon The booke of Wisedome The Preacher The song of songs Iob. The Prophets Esay Hieromie twelue Prophetes in one booke Daniel Ezechiel Esdras And thus much of thys matter which I thought here to record for that it is not vnprofitable for these latter times to vnderstande what in the first times was receaued and admitted as autentike and what otherwise But from this little digression to returne to our matter omitted that is to the Apologies of Apolinarius and Melito in the story so it followeth that whether it was by the occasiō of these two Apologies or whether it was through the writing of Athenagoras a Philosopher and a Legate of the Christians it is vncertaine but this is certaine that the persecution the same time was staid Some do thinke which most probably seeme to touch the truthe that the cause of staying this persecution did rise vpon a wonderfull myracle of God shewed in the Emperours campe by the Christians the story wherof is this At what time the two brethren Marcus Antonius and Marcus Aurelius Commodus Emperours ioyning together warred against the Quades Vandales Sarmates and Germaines in the expeditiō against them their army by reason of the imminent assault of their enimies was cooped shut in within the straights and hoate dry places where their souldiours besides other difficulties of battaile being destitute of water fyue dayes were like to haue perished which dread not a little discomfited them did abate their courage Wherin this their so great distresse and ieopardy sodainely wythdrew from the army a legian of the christian souldiours for their succour who falling prostrate vpon the earth by ardent praier by by obtained of God double reliefe by meanes of whom God gaue certaine pleasaunt showers from the element whereby as their souldiors quenched their thirst so were a great number of their enimies discomfited put to flight by the continual lightnings which shooted out of the aire This miracle so pleased won the Emperour that euer after he waxed gentler gentler to the Christians dyrected his letters to diuers of his rulers as Tertullian in his Apologie witnesseth commaūding thē therin to giue thankes to the Christians no lesse for his victory then for the preseruation of him and all his men The copy of which letter hereafter ensueth ¶ Marcus Aurelius Antonius Emperour to the Senate and people of Rome I Giue you hereby to vnderstande what I intend to doe as also what successe I haue had in my warres in Germany and with how much difficultie I haue viteled my campe being compassed about with 74. fierce Dragons whome my Scottes descryed to be within ix miles of vs and Pompeianus our Liefetenaunt hath viewed as he signified vnto vs by hys letters Wherefore I thought no lesse but to be ouerunne and all my bandes of so great multitude as well my vaward mayne warde as reere warde with all my souldiours of Ephrata In whose host there were numbred of fighting men ix hundreth seuenty and fiue thousand But when I saw my selfe not able to encounter with the enemy I craued ayde of our countrey Gods at whose hands I finding no comfort and being driuen of the enemye vnto an exegent I caused to be sent for those men which we call Christians who being mustred were found a good indifferent number with whom I was in farther rage then I had good cause as afterwardes I had experience by their merueilous power who forthwith did their indeuour but without either weapon munition armour or trumpets as men abhorring such preparation and furniture but onely satisfied in trust of their God whome they cary about with them in their consciences It is therefore to be credited although we call them wicked men that they worship God in
This Peregrinus aboue mentioned had bene sent before by Xistus Byshop of Rome into the parties of Fraunce to supply there the rowme of a Bishop and teacher by reason that for the continual and horrible persecutions there aboue touched those places were left desolat and destitute of ministers and instructors where after he had occupied hym selfe with much frute among the flocke of Christ and had stablished the congregation there returning home againe to Rome there finished at last as it is said his martirdome Now remaineth likewise to speake of Iulius which Iulius being as is afore described a Senator of Rome and now won by the preaching of these blessed men to the fayth of Christ did eftsoones inuite them brought them home to his house where being by them more fully instructed in christian religiō he beleued in the gospel And sending for one Ruffinus a Priest was with all his family by him baptised who not as the common sort was wont to do kept close and secret his faith but incensed with a marueylous and sincere zeale openly professed the same altogither wishing and praying to be giuen to him by God not only to beleue in Christ but also to hasarde his life for him Which thing the Emperour hearing how that Iulius had forsakē his old religion and became a christian forthwith sent for him to come before him vnto whom he spake on this wise O Iuly what madnes hath possessed thee that this thou doest fall from the olde common Religion of thy forefathers who acknowledged and worshipped Iupiter Hercules their gods now doest embrace a new fond kind of Religion of the Christians At which time Iulius hauing good occasion to shew and opē his faith gaue straight way accompt thereof to him and affirmed that Hercules Iupiter were false Gods how the worshippers of thē should perish with eternall damnation punishmentes Which the Emperour hearing how that he condemned despised his Gods being then inflamed with a great wrath as he was by nature very cholericke committed him foorthwith to Vitellus the master of the souldiours a very cruell fierce man to see Iulius either to sacrifice to mighty Hercules or refusing the same to slea him Vitellus as hee was commaunded exhorted Iulius to obey the Emperors cōmaundement and to worship his Gods Alledging how that the whole Empire of Rome was not onely constituted but also preserued and maintained by them Which Iulius denied vtterly to do admonishing sharply in like maner Vitellus to acknowledge the true God and obey hys commaundementes least he with his maister should dye some greeuous death Whereat Vitellus being moued caused Iulius with cougels to be beaten vnto death These things being thus briefly recited touching such holy martirs as hetherto haue suffered nowe remayneth that wee returne againe to the order of the Romaine Byshops such as followed next after Alexander at whome we left whose succeder next was Xistus or Sixtus the sixt Byshoppe counted after Peter and gouerned that ministerye the space of x yeares as Damascus other do write Vrspergensis maketh mention but of ix yeares Platina recordeth that he died a Martir and was buried at Uaticane But Eusebius speaking of his discease maketh no word mentiō of any Martyrdome In the 2. tome of the Councelles certaine Epistles be attributed to him whereof Eusebius Damasus Hierome and other olde authors as they make no relation so seeme they to haue no intelligence nor knowledge of any such matter In these coūterfeit epistles in Platina appeareth the Xistus was the first author of these ordinaunces First that the holy misteries and holy vessels shoulde be touched but onely of persons holy and consecrated especially of no woman Itē that the corporas cloth should be made of no other cloth but of fine linnen Item that bishops such as were called vp to the Apostolicke sea returning home againe should not be receiued at their returne vnlesse they brought with them letters from the bishop of Rome saluting the people Itē at the celebration he ordained to be song this verse Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth Where moreouer is to be noted that the saide Platina in the life of thys Xistus doeth testifie that Peter ministred the celebration of the cōmunion onlie wyth the Lordes prayer These tryflyng ordinaunces of Xistus who is so rude that seeth not or may not easly cōiecture to be falsly fathered of Xistus or of anye father of that time first by the vniforme rudenes and stile of all those decretal letters nothing sauouryng of that age but rather of the later dunsticall times that followed Also by the matter and argument in those leters contained nothing agreing with the state of those troublesome daies Neither againe is it to be supposed that any such recourse of bishops was then to the Apostolicall sea of Rome that it was not lawfull to returne without their letters when as the persecution against the Christians was then so hoate in the daies of Hadrian that the Bishoppes of Rome themselues were more glad to flee out of the Citie then other bishops were to come to them vnto Rome And if Xistus added the Sanctus vnto the Masse cannon what peece then of the canon went before it when they which put to the other patches came after Xistus And if they came after Xistus that aded the rest why did they set their peeces before his seing they that began the first peece of the canon came after him The same likewise is to be iudged of the Epistles ordinaunces of Telesphorus who succeded next vnto Xistus and being Bishop of that congregation the terme of a 11 yeares the first yeare of the raigne of Antoninus Pius dyed Martyr about the yeare of our Lorde 138. His Epistle like vnto the rest containing in it no great matter of doctrine hath these ordinaunces First he cōmaundeth al that were of the Clergy to fast and abstaine from flesh eatyng vij weekes before Easter That three Masses shoulde bee said vpon the Natiuity day of the Lord. That no lay man should accuse either bishop or priest He ordained moreouer Gloria in excelsis to be added to the Masse c. but these things falsely to be fained vpon him may easely be coniectured For as touching the vij weekes fast neither doth it agree with the old Romane terme cōmonly receaued calling it Quadragesima that is the xl daies fast neither with the example of our Sauiour who fasted not seuen wekes but onelye xl dayes Moreouer as concernyng this xl daies fast wee reade of the same in the Epistle of Ignatius which was lōg before Telesphorus wherby it may appere that this Telesphorus was not the first inuentour thereof And if it be true that is lately come out in the name of Abdias but vntruly as by many coniectures may be proued there is read that in the daies of S. Mathewe this Lent
fast of xl dayes was obserued long before Telesphorus by these wordes that followe In the dayes sayd he either of Lente or in the time of other lawfull fastinges he that abstaineth not as well from the eating meate as also from the mixture of bodies doth incurre in so doing not onely pollution but also cōmitteth offence which must be washed away with the teares of repentaunce Agayne Apollonius affirmeth that Montanus the heretike was the first deuiser and brynger in of these lawes of fasting into the Churche which before was vsed to be free Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 18. but especially by Socrates wryter of the Ecclesiasticali story who lyued after the daies of Theodosius maye bee argued that this vij wekes fast is falsely imputed to Telesphorus For Socrates in his first booke speaking of this time hath these wordes Romani namque tres ante Pascha septimanas praeter Sabbatum Dominicam continuas ieiuuant that is the Romanes saith he doe fast three weekes continually before Easter beside the Sabbaoth and the Sonday And moreouer speaking of the diuers and sundry fastings of Lent in sundry and diuers Churches he addeth these words And because that no man can bring forth any commaundement written of this matter it is therefore apparant that the Apostles left this kind of fast free to euery mans will and iudgement least anye should be constrayned by feare and necessitie to doe that which is good c. With this of Socrates agreeth also the wordes of Sozomenus liuing much about y◠same time in his seuenth voke where he thus writeth The whole fast of Lent saith he some comprehend in sixe weekes as doe the Illyrians and the west churches with al Libia Egipt Palestina some in vij weekes as at Cōstantinople the parties bordering to Phoenicia other some in three weekes next before the day of Easter some againe in ij weekes c. By the whiche it may be collected that Telesph neuer ordained any such fast of vij wekes whiche otherwise neither woulde haue ben neglected in Rome in the west churches neither againe woulde haue bene vnremembred of these auncient Ecclesiasticall writers if any such thing had bene The like is to be thought also of the rest not onely of his constitutions but also of the other auntient Byshops Martyrs which followed after him as of Higinus an 142. who succeding him dying also a Martyr as Volateranus Lib. 22. declareth is saide or rather fained to bring in the creame one Godfather and Godmother in Baptisme to ordayne the dedication of Churches when as in his time so far it was of that anye solemne Churches were standing in Rome that vnneth the Christians could safely conuent in their own houses Likewise they distincting the orders of Metropolitanes Byshops and other degres sauour nothing lesse then of that tyme. After Higynus followed Pius who as Platina reporteth was so precisely deuout aboute the holye misteries of the Lords Table that if any one croome therof did fall downe to the grounde he ordained that the Priest shoulde doe penaunce xl daies If any fell vpō the Superalter he should doe penaunce iij. daies if vpon the linen Corporas cloth iiij daies if vpon any other linnen cloth ix daies And if any drop of the bloude saith he should chaunce be spilled wheresoeuer it fell it should be licked vp if it were possible if not the place should be washed or pared so being washed or pared should be burned and layd in the vestry All which toies may seeme to a wise man more vaine and trifling then to fauour of those pure and straight times of those holy Martyrs This Pius as is reported was much conuersaunt with Hermes called otherwise Pastor Damasus saith he was his brother but how is that like that Hermes being the disciple of Paule or one of the lx disciples could be the brother of this Pius Of this Hermes of the reuelations the foresaid Pius in his Epistle decretall if it be not forged maketh mentiō declaring that vnto him appeared the aungel of God in the habite of a shepherde commaunding him that Easter day should be celebrated of al men vpō no other day but vpon a sonday whereupon saith the Epistle Pius the Byshop by his authoritie Apostolicall decreed and commaunded the same to be obserued of al men Then succeeded Anicetus Soter and Eleutharius about the yeare of our Lord. 180. This Eleutherius at the request of Lucius king of Britanes sent to him Damianus and Fugatius by whom the king was conuerted to Christes saith and baptised about the yeare of our Lorde 179. Nauclerus Lib. Chro. Gen. 6. saith it was an 156. Henr. de Erfodia saith it was 169. in the xix yeare of Verus the Emperour some say it was in the vj. yeare of Commodus which shoulde be about the yeare of our Lorde 185. Timotheus in his storye thinketh that Eleutherius came himself but that is not like And as there is a variaunce among the writers for the count of yeres So doth there rise a question among some whether Eleutherius was the first that brought the faith from Rome into this lande or not Nicephorus Lib. 2. cap. 4. saith that Symō Zelotes came into Britaine Some other alledge out of Gildas de victoria Aurel Ambrosi that Ioseph of Aramathie after the dispersion of the Iewes was sent to Philip the Apostle from Fraunce to Britaine about the yeare of our Lord 63. and here remained in this land al his time and so with his fellowes laide the first foundation of christian fayth among the Britaine people Whereupon other preachers and teachers cōming afterwarde confirmed the same increased it more And therefore doth Petrus Cluniacensis call the Scotishmen so doth count them as more auntient Christians For the confirmation hereof might be alledged the testimonie of Origene of Tertulian and the wordes also of the letter of Eleutherius whiche importe no lesse but that the faith of Christ was here in Englande among the Britaine people before Eleutherius time before the king was cōuerted but hereof more shal be spokē hereafter Christ willing when after the tractation of these .x. persecutiōs we shal enter the matter of our English stories About this time of Commodus aforementioned among diuers other learned men and famous teachers whō God stirred vp at that time as he doth at all other times rayse vp some in his church to confound the persecutors by learning and writing as the Martirs to confirme the truth with their bloud was Serapion Byshop of Antioche Egesippus a writer of the Ecclesiasticall historye from Christes Passion to his time as witnesseth Hierome Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 8. 22. which bookes of his be not nowe remayning And those that be remaining which be 5. de excidio Hierosol be not mentioned neither of Hierome nor of Eusebius Miltiades which also wrote his Apology in defence of christian Religion
thus was their false periurie punished Narcissus after long absence returning home agayne was by this meanes both cleared of the facte and receiued into his bishoprike agayne To whom as is said for impotencie of his age Alexander was ioined with him in execution of the function Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. cap. 10. Of this Alexander is recorded in the sayd Ecclesiasticall history that after his agonies and constancie of his confessiō shewed in the persecution of Seuerus he was admonished by a vision in the night season to make his iourney vp to Hierusalem Palestina for that place remained free from this persecution to see there the congregation to pray Thus he taking his iourney and drawing nere to the city a vision with playne wordes was geuen to certaine chiefe heads of Hierusalem to go out of the gate of the city there to receiue the Bishop appointed to them of God And so was Alexander met and receiued and ioyned partner with aged Narcissus as is before expressed in the Citie of Hierusalem where he continued bishop aboue 40. yeares vntill the persecution of Decius and there crected a famous Libraric where Eusebius had his chiefest helpe in writing his Ecclesiasticall history He wrote also diuers Epistles to diuers churches and licensed Origene openly to teach in his Church At length beyng very aged was brought frō Ierusalem to Cesaria before the Iudge vnder Decius where after his constant confession the second tyme he was committed to prison and there died Besides these that suffred in this persecution of Seuerus recited of Eusebius Vincentius also Lib. 11. cap. 6. Ex Martyrol speaketh of one Andoclus whom Polycarpus before had sent into Fraunce which Andoclus because he spread there the doctrine of Christ was apprehended of Seuerus and first beaten with staues and battes after was beheaded To these aboue named may also be added Asclepiades who although was not put to death in this persecution of Seuerus yet constantly he did abide the trial of his confessiō suffered much for the same as Alexander did before mentioned Wherefore afterward he was ordained bishop of Antioch where he continued the space of vij yeares of whom Alexander writeth to the Church of Antioche out of prison much reioysing and geuing thankes to God to heare that he was their Bishop About the same tyme during the raigne of Seuerus died Irenaeus Henr. de Erfordia Ado and other Martyr writers do hold that he was martyred with a great multitude of other moe for the confession and doctrine of Christ about the fourth or fift yeare of Seuerus This Irenaeus as he was a great writer so was he greatly commended of Tertullian for his learning whom he calleth omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum exploratorem a great searcher of all kynde of learning He was first scholer and hearer of Polycarpus frō thence either was sent or came to Fraunce and there by Photinus and the rest of the Martyrs was instituted into the ministery commended by their letter vnto Eleutherius as is before premonished At length after the Martyrdom of Photinus he was appointed bishop of Lions where he cōtinued about the space of 23. yeres In the tyme of this Irenaeus the state of the Church was much troubled not only for the outward persecution of the foraine enemy but also for diuers sectes and errours then stirring against which he diligently laboured and wrote much although but few of his bookes be now remayning The nature of this man well agreeyng with his name was such that he euer loued peace and sought to set agreement when any controuersie role in the Church And therfore when the question of keeping the Easter day was renued to the Church bebetwene Victor bishop of Rome and the churches of Asia and when Victor would haue excommunicated them as schisinatikes for disagreeyng from him therein Irenaeus with other brethren of the French Church sory to see such a contention among brethren for such a trifle conuented themselues together in a common Councell and directing their letter with their common consent subscribed sent vnto Victor intreating him to stay his purpose not to proceed in excommunicating his brethren for that matter Although they themselues agreed with him in obseruing the Sonday Easter as he did yet with great reasons and arguments exhorted him not to deale so rigorously with his other brethren following the ancient custome of their coūtrey maner in that behalf And beside this he wrote diuers other letters abroad concerning the same contentiō declaring the excommunication of Victor to be of no force Not long after Irenaeus followed also Tertullian about the tyme of this Seuerus and Antoninus Carcalla his sonne a man both in Greeke and Latin wel expert hauing great gifts in disputing and in writing eloquent as his bookes declare as the commendation of al learned men doth testifie no lesse To whom Vincentius Lirinensis geueth such prayse that he calleth him the floure of all Latine writers and of the eloquence of his stile so he writeth that with the force of his reasons he saith whom he could not persuade them he cōpelled to consent vnto him How many words so many sentences and how many sentences so many victories he had Such men of doing and writing God raiseth vp from tyme to tyme as pillers and stayes for his poore Church as he did this Tertullian in these dangerous dayes of persecution For whē the christians were vexed with wrongs falsly accused of the Gentils Tertullian taking their cause in hand defendeth them against the persecutors against their slaunderous accusations First that they neuer minded any styre or rebellion either against the Empire or Emperors of Rome forsomuch as the vse of Christians was to pray for the state of their Emperours and gouernours And where as they were accused falsly to bee enemies to all mankind how could that be saith Tertullian to Scapula seyng the proper office of the Christians is by their profession to pray for all men to loue their enemies neuer requiting euil for euil when as all other do loue but onely their friends and scarcely them As touching the horrible slaunder of murdering infants how can that be true in the Christians saith he whose order is to abstayne from all bloud strangled in so much that it is not lawful for thē to touch the bloud of any beast at their tables when they feede From filthy copulation no sort more free then they which are and euer hath ben the greatest obseruers of chastitie of whom such as may liue in perpetuall Uirginitie all their life such as cannot contract matrimony for auoyding all whoredom and fornication Neither can it be proued of the christians to worship the sunne which false surmise Tertulliā declareth to rise hereof for that the maner of the Christians was to pray toward the East Much lesse was there any of them so mad as to worship an Asses head
excommunicate all those Byshops and churches of Asia as heretickes and schismatickes which disagreed from the Romaine order had not Irenaeus otherwise restrayned him from that doyng as is a foresayd whiche was about the yeare of our Lord .191 in the reigne of Commodus Thus then began the vniformitie of keeping that holy day to be first required as a thing necessary all they accompted as heretickes and schismatickes which dissented from the Bishop traditioÌ„ of Rome With Victor stoode Theophilus Byshop of Cesarâ—a Narcissus of Hierusalem Irenaeus of Lyons Palmas of Pontus Banchillus of Corinthe the Byshop of Dâ—â—roena and other moe All which condescended to haue the celebration of Easter vpon the Sonday because they would differ froÌ„ the Iewes in all things as neare as they might and partly because the resurrection of the Lord fell on the same day On the contrary side diuers Byshop were in Asia of whom the principall was Policrates Byshop of Ephesus who being assembled with a great multitude of Bishops and brethren of those parties by the common assent of the rest wrote agayne to Victor and to the Church of Rome declaring that they had euer from the beginning obserued that day according to the rule of Scripture vnchaunged neither adding nor altering any thing froÌ„ the same Alledging moreouer for them the examples of the Apostles and holy fathers their predecessours as Phillip the Apostle with hys three daughters at Hierapolis also Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist at Ephesus Polycarpus at Smyrna Thraseas at Eumenia Byshoppe and Martyr lykewise of Sagaris at Laodicaea Byshop and Mattyr Holy Papyrius and Melito at Sardis Beside these bishops also of his own kindred and his owne aunceters to the number of seuen which all were bishops before him he the eight now after them All which obserued saith he the solemnitie of the same day after the same wiâ—e and sort as we do now Victor being not a litle mooued herewith by letters agayne denounceth against them more bold vpon authoritie then wiâ—e in his commission violent excommunicatioÌ„ Albeit by the wise handlyng of Irenaeus and other learned men that matter was staid and Victor otherwise perswaded What the perswasioÌ„s of Irenaeus were partly may appeare in Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 26. the summe whereof tendeth to this effect That the variance and difference of ceremonies is no straunge matter in the Church of Christ when as this varietie is not onely in the day of Easter but also in the maner of fasting in diuers other vsages among the christian For some fast one day some two days some other fast moe Other there be which counting xl houres both day night take that for a ful dayes fast And this so diuers fashion of fasting in the church of Christ began not onely in this our tyme but was before among our fore elders And yet notwithstanding they with all this diuersity were in vnitie among themselues and so be we neyther both this difference of ceremonies any thing hinder but rather commendeth the concorde of fayth And bringeth forth the examples of the fathers of Telesphorus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius and such other who neither obserued the same vsage themselues neither prescribed it to others and yet notwithstanding kept christian charitie with such as came to coÌ„municate with them not obseruing the same forme of things which they obserued as well appeared by Polycarpus and Anicetus which although they agreed not in one vniforme custome of rites yet refused not to coÌ„municate together the one geuing reuerence vnto the other Thus the controuersie being taken vp betwene Irenaeus Victor remained free to the time of Nicene Councell Haec ex Iren. Eusebius And thus much coÌ„cerning the controuersie of that matter and concerning the doings of Victor After Victor succeeded in the sea of Rome Zephyrinus in the dayes of the foresayd Seuerus about the yeare of our Lord .203 To this Zephyrinus be ascribed two Epistles in the first Tome of the Councels But as I haue sayd before of the decretall Epistles of other Romaine Bishops so I say and verily suppose of this that neither the countenaÌ„ce of the stile nor the matter therin contained nor the condition of the â—yme doth otherwise giue to thinke of these letters but that they be verily bastard letters not written by these fathers nor in these tymes but craftily and wickedly pact in by some which to set vp the primacie of Rome haue most pestilently abused the authoritie of these holy auncient fathers to deceaue the simple Church For who is so rude but that in considering onely the state of those terrible tymes may easily vnderstand except affectioÌ„ blind him beside a nomber of other probable coniectures to lead him that the poore persecuted bishops in that time would haue bene glad to haue any safe couert to put their heades in so far was it of that they had any lust or laisure theÌ„ to seeke for any Primacie or Patriarkeship or to driue all other churches to appeale to the sea of Rome or to exempt all Priests from the accusation of any lay man as in the first Epistle of Zephyrinus is to be seene written to the Bishops of Sicilia And likewise the second Epistle of his to the Bishops of the prouince of Egypt containing no maner of doctrine nor consolation necessary for that time but only certain ritual decrees to no purpose argueth no lesse but the said epistles neither to sauor of that man nor taste of the tyme. Of like credite also seemeth the constitution of the Patines of glasse which Damasus sayth that the same Zephyrinus ordained to be caried before the Priest at the celebratioÌ„ of the Masse Againe Platina writeth that he ordayned the ministration of the SacrameÌ„t to be no more vsed in vessels of wood or of glasse or of any other mettall except only siluer gold and tinne c. But how these two testimonies of Damasus and Platina ioyne together let the reader iudge especially seyng the same decree is referred to Vrbanus that came after him Againe what needed this decree of golden chalices to be stablished afterward in the Councell of Tybur and Rhenes if it had bene enacted before by Zephyrinus How long this Zephyrinus sate our writers do varie Eusebius sayth he died in the raigne of Caracalla and sate 17. yeares Platina writeth that he died vnder Seuerus and sate 8. yeares and so saith also Nauclerus Damasus affirmeth that he sate 16. yeares and two monthes Matthaeus author of the story intituled Flores HistoriaruÌ„ with other latter Chronicles maketh mention of Perpetua and Felicitas and Reuocatus her brother also of Saturninus and Satyrus brethren and Secundulus which in the persecution of this Seuerus gaue ouer their liues to Martyrdome for Christ beyng throwen to wild beasts and deuoured of the same in Carthage and in Affrike saue that Saturninus brought agayne from the beasts was
although saith he Alexander beyng perswaded through the entreating of his mother MaÌ„mea did fauour the Christians yet notwithstanding there was no publike Edict or Proclamation prouided for their safegard By reasoÌ„ wherof diuers there were which suffered Martyrdome vnder Almachius other iudges In the number of whom after some stories was Calixtus Bishop of Rome who succeded next vnto Zephyrinus aboue mentioned And after him Vrbanus also which both beyng Bishops of Rome did both suffer by the opinioÌ„ of some writers vnder Alexander Seuerus This Calixtus in his two decretal Epistles written to Benedictus and to the Bishops of Fraunce geueth these ordinances that no actions or accusations agaynst the Prelates or teachers of the church should be receaued that no secret conspiracies should be made against bishops Item no man to communicate with persons excoÌ„municate Also no bishop to excommunicate or to deale in an other Dioces And here he expoundeth the Dioces or the Parish of any bishop or minister to be his wife The wife sayth the Apostle is bound to the law so long as the husbaÌ„d liueth when he is dead she is free from the law So saith Calixtus the wife of a bishop which is his Church so long as he liueth is bound duely to him neither ought to be iudged or disposed by any other man without his will and iudgement after his death she is free from the lawe to marrie to whoÌ„ she will so it be in the Lord that is regulariter regularly In the end of the sayd his epistle decretall he confuteth the error of them which hold that they which are fallen are not to be receiued agayne Which heresie after the tyme of Calixtus or Calistus came in first by Nouatus in the dayes of Cornelius Moreouer in his sayd first Epistle decretall is contayned the fast of the foure tymes commonly called the Imber fast whereof also Marianus Scotus maketh mention But Damasus speaking of the same fast sayth he ordayned the fast but of three tymes which was for the encrease of corne wyne and oyle By these hetherto premised it is not hard for a quicke Reader to smel out the crafty iugling of that person or persons whosoeuer they were the falsly haue ascribed these decretall institutions to those holy fathers For first what laysure had the Christians to lay in their accusations against their bishops when we neuer read nor finde in any story any kynde of variaunce in those dayes among them but all loue mutuall compassion and harty communion among the Saintes And as we read of no variaunce among the people in those dayes nor of any fault or backsliding among the Bishops who for the most part then died all constant Martirs so neither do we read of any tribunall seat or Consistorie vsed or frequented then about any such matters Agayne if a man examine well the dangers of those busie days he shall see the poore flocke of the christians so occupied and piteously oppressed by the cruell accusations of the Heathen Infidels that though the cause did yet the tyme would not serue them to commense any law against their bishops SecoÌ„dly as touching their conspiracie against bishops what conspiracie either would they then practise agaynst them which always gaue their liues for their defence Or how could they then conspire in any coÌ„panies together when neuer a true thristian man durst once put his head out of his dores neither was there in the church any Christian man in those perilous dayes except he were a true man in deed such as was farre from all false conspiracies And when as all the world almost in all places conspired agaynst them What tyme what cause or what hart trow ye could they haue to coÌ„spire against their instructors Thirdly concerning the confutation of that heresie how standeth the confutation with the tyme of Calistus wheÌ„ Nouatus the author of that heresie was after him in the tyme of Cornelius Fourthly if by the lawe of Calixtus euery Dioces be the proper wife of euery bishop or minister then how many bishops wiues and persons wiues hath the adulterous Pope of Rome defloured in these latter dayes of the Church which so proudly and impudently hath intermedled and taken his pleasure his owne profit in euery Dioces and Parish almost through all Christendome without all leaue and licence of the good man who hath bene in the meane tyme yet is compelled stil where so euer the Popes holines commeth Vigilante sternere naso and to giue him leaue vnasked to do what he list Wherefore if this Canon decretall be truly his why is it not obserued so as it doth stand without exceptioÌ„ If it bee not why is it then falsly forged vpon him and the Church of Christ deceaued And certes lamentable it is that this falsifiyng of such trifling traditions vnder the false preteÌ„ce of antiquitie either was begon in the Church to deceaue the people or that it hath remayned so long vndetected For as I thinke the church of Christ will neuer be perfectly reformed before these decretall constitutions Epistles which haue so long put on the visard of antiquitie shal be fully detected and appeare in their owne colour wherein they were first paynted And yet neither do I say this or thinke contrary but that it may be that bishops of Rome and of the same name haue bene the true authors of these traditions but here coÌ„meth in the error as I credibly suppose that when other later bishops of the like name haue deuised these ceremoniall inuentions the vulgar opinion of men hath transferred them to the first primitiue fathers although beyng of an other time yet bearing the same name with the true inuentors thereof But of Calixtus enough who as Damasus sayth in the dayes of this Alexander Seuerus died a Martyr Vincentius affirmeth that he was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was thrown into a ditch Eusebius speakyng of his death maketh no mention of his Martyrdom and sayth he sate v. yeares Platina sayth vj. yeres Sabellicus giueth him vij yeares and so doth Damasus After Calistus folowed Vrbanus about the yeare of our Lord 227. who in his epistle decretall comming out of the same forge which he wrote in common to all bishops making no mention of the heauy persecutions of the Church nor ministring any exhortation of comfort or constancie to the brethren onely geueth many straight precepts for not transporting or alienating the goods of the Church and to pay truly their offâ—â—â—ngs which they vow also to haue all common among the Clergie Moreouer about the ende of his epistle he instituteth the confirmation of children after Baptisme which the Papistes bee woont to take into the number of their vii Sacraments affirming and denouncing more then Scripture will beare that the imposition of the Bishops hand bringeth the holy ghost and thereby to be made full ChristiaÌ„s c. But of these
decretall epistles inough is sayd before more may bee considered of the discrete Reader Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Nauclerus other late story writers doe hold as is aforesayd that he dyed a Martyr in the dayes of Alexander Seuerus after he had gouerned that seat 4. yeares as Damasus and Platina do witnes as Marianus sayth eight yeares The same Damasus and Platina do testifie of him that he by his preaching and holines of life cōuerted diuers Ethnikes to the fayth Among whom were Tiburtius and Valerianus the husband of Cecilia which both being noble men of Rome remained constant in the fayth vnto the end and Martyrdome Of this Cecilia thus it is is written in the Martyrologe by Ado that Cecilie the virgin after she had brought Valerian her husband espoused and Tiburtius his brother to the knowledge and fayth of Christ and with her exhortations had made them constant vnto Martyrdome after the suffryng of them she was also apprehended by Almachius the ruler and brought to the Idols to do sacrifice which thing when she abhorred to do she should be presented before the iudge to haue the condēnation of death In the meane time the Sergeants and officers which were about her beholdyng her comely beautie and the prudent behauior in her conuersation began with many persuasions of wordes to sollicite her mynd to fauour her selfe and that so excellent beautie and not to cast her selfe away c. But she agayne so replied to them with reasons godly exhortations that by the grace of almighty God their hartes began to kindle and at length to yeld to that Religion which before they did persecute Which thing she perceauing desired of the iudge Almachius a litle respite Which beyng graunted she sendeth for Vrbanus the Bishop home to her house to stablish and ground them in the fayth of Christ. And so were they with diuers other at the same tyme Baptised both men women to the number as the story sayth of 400. persons among whome was one Gordianus a noble man This done this blessed Martyr was brought before the iudge where she was condemned then after was brought to the house of the Iudge where she was enclosed in a whote bath but she remayning there a whole day night without any hurt as in a cold place was brought out again and cōmaundement giuen that in the bath she should be beheaded The executor is said to haue foure strokes at her necke yet her head beyng cut off she as the story geueth liued three days after And so died this holy Virgine martyr whose body in the night season Vrbanus the bishop tooke and buried among the other Bishops Ado the compiler of this Martyrologe addeth that this was done in the tyme of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus But that cannot be for so much as Vrbanus by all histories was long after those Emperors and liued in the dayes of this Alexander as is aboue declared Antoninus Bergomēsis Equilinus with such other writers set forth this history with many strāge miracles wrought by the said Cecilia in conuerting her husband Valerianus and his brother in shewyng them the Angell which was the keeper of her virginitie and of the Angell putting on crowns vpon their heads But as touching these miracles as I do not dispute whether they be true or fabulous so because they haue no ground vpon any ancient or graue authors but taken out of certain new Legends I do therfore referre them thether from whence they came Under the same Alexander diuers other there be whom Bergomensis mentioned to haue suffred martyrdom as one Agapitus of the age of xv yeares who beyng apprehended and condemned at Preneste in Italy because he would not sacrifice to Idoles was assayled with sundry tormentes first with whips scourged then hanged vp by the feete after hauing hote water poured vpon him at last cast to the wild beasts with all which torments when he could not be hurt finally with sword was beheaded The executor of these punishments as by Henricus Erford may be gathered was one Antiochus who in the executing of the foresayd torments sodenly fell downe from his iudiciall seate crying out that al his inward bowels burned within him and so gaue vp the breath Henr. de Erfordia Lib. 6. cap. 29. Also with the same Agapitus is numbred Calepodius a minister of Rome whose body first was drawen through the citie of Rome after cast into Tiber. Bergo ibidem Then followeth Pammachius a Senatour of Rome with his wife and children and other both men and women to the number of xlii Item an other noble Senator of Rome named Simplicius all which together in one day had their heads smitten off and their heads after hanged vp in diuers gates of the Citie for a terrour of other that none should professe the name of Christ. Beside these suffred also Quiritius a noble man of Rome who with his mother Iulia and a great number moe were put likewise to death Also Tiberius and Valerianus Citizens of Rome and brethren suffered as Bergomensis sayth the same tyme who first being bruised and broken with bats after were beheaded Also Vincentius Bergomensis and Erfordiensis make mētion of Martina a Christian virgine which after diuers bitter punishments beyng constant in her fayth suffered in like maner by the sword Albeit as touching the tyme of these forenamed Martyrs as I find them not in elder writers so do I suppose them to suffer vnder Maximinus or Decius rather then vnder Alexander * The sixt Persecution AFter the death of Alexander the Emperour who with his mother Mammea as is said was murdred in Germany folowed Maximinus chosen by the will of the souldiours rather then by the authority of the Senate about the yeare of our Lord 237. who for the hatred hee had to the house of Alexander as Eusebius recordeth raysed vp the vi persecution against the Christians especially against the teachers and leaders of the Church thinking thereby the sooner to vanquish the rest if the captains of them were remooued out of the way Whereby I suppose rather the Martyrdome of Vrbanus the bishop and of the rest aboue specified to haue happened vnder the tiranny of this Maximinus then vnder Alexander In the tyme of this persecution Origene wrote his booke De Martyrio which booke if it were extant would geue vs some knowledge I doubt not of such as in this persecution did suffer which now lye in silence vnknowne And no doubt but a great number they were moe should haue bene had not the prouidēt mercy of God shortened his dayes brideled his tiranny for he raigned but three yeares After whom succeeded Gordianus an 240. a man no lesse studious for the vtilitie of the commō wealth as mild and gentle to the christians This Gordian after he had gouerned with much peace and tranquilitie the Monarchie of Rome the space of vj. yeares was slayne of
to note by the waye because this distinction is fathered vpon Cyprian which is false for this Cyprian was not in the time of Iulian not by 200. yeares and so likewise by the other Cyprian which died Martyr vnder Diocletian Of anye Cyprian besides these two we read not Neither is it credible that if there were any such Cyprian he would euer haue written of any such matter of the difference and mutuall nede of ChristiaÌ„ Emperours and Christen Popes When as that Emperour being an Apostata neither regarded Christ nor cared for any Pope About this tyme and vnder the same Emperour Valerianus suffered also Xistus or Sixtus the seconde of that name Byshop of Rome who being accused of his aduersaries to be a ChristiaÌ„ was brought with his vj. deacons to the place of execution where he with Nemesius other hys Deacons were beheaded and suffered Martyrdome Laurence in the same time being also Deacon folowed after complayning to Xistus as one being greued that he might not also suffer with him but to be secluded as the sonne froÌ„ the father To whom the Bishop aunswering againe declared that within thre daies he should folow after In the meane time hee willed him to go home and to distribute his treasures if he had any vnto the poore The iudge belike hearing mentioÌ„ to be made of treasures to be giuen to the poore and thinking that Laurence had great store of treasure in his custody coÌ„maunded him to bring the same vnto him according as the discourse of his storye here vnder written more fully may appeare Which history because it is set foorth more at large in Prudentius Ambrose and other writers and containeth in it mo things in it worthy to be noted of the Reader we haue therfore with the more dilygence here inserted the more ample description of the same to the further admiration of his patience and God his glory shewed in him Now then as order requireth let vs enter the story of that most constaunt and couragious Martir of Christ S. Laurence whose words and works deserue to be as freshe and greene in Christian harts as is the florishing Laurel tree This thirsty hart longing after the water of lyfe desirous to passe vnto it through the straight doore of bitter death when on a time he saw his vigilaunt Shephearde Xistus led as an harmles lambe of harmefull tyrauntes to his death cried out with open mouth and hart inuincible saying O deare father whether goest thou without the company of thy deare sonne Whether hastenest thou O reuerend Priest without thy Deacon Neuer wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy minister What cryme is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhod Hast thou proued me vnnaturall Now try swete father whether thou hast chosen a faithfull minister or not Deniest thou vnto him the fellowship of thy bloud to whom thou hast committed the destribution of the Lordes bloud See that thy iudgement be not misliked whilest thy fortitude is liked lauded The abasing of the scholer is the disgracing of the Maister What haue we not learned that worthy Maisters haue obtained most worthy same by the worthy actes of their Disciples and Scholers Finally Abraham sacryficed his onely begotten Isaac Stoned Stephen prepared the way to preaching Peâ—er euen so father declare thy manifold vertues by me thy sonne Offer thou him that proferreth him selfe Graunt that the body of thy scholer may be sacrificed whose mind with good letters thou hast beautefied These wordes with teares S. Laurence vttered not becauâ—e his master should suffer but for that he might not be suffered to tast of deaths cup which he thirsted aâ—ter Then Xistus to his sonne shaped this aunswere I forsake thee not O my sonne I giue thee to wit that a sharper conflict remaineth for thee A feeble and weak old man am I and therefore run the rase of a lighter easier death But lusty and young thou art and more lustely yea more gloriously shalt thou triumph ouer this tiraunt Thy time approcheth cease to wepe lament three daies after thou shalt follow me Decent is it that this space of time come betwene the Priest the Leuite It may not beseeme thee O sweete Pupill to triumphe vnder thy master least it be said he wanted an helper Why crauest thou to be pertaker with me in my passion I bequeath vnto thee the whole inheritaunce Why requirest thou to enioy my presence let weake scholers go before and the stroÌ„ger come after that those without maister may get the victory which haue no neede by maister to be gouerned So Helias left behynde him his beloued Heliseus I yeelde vp into thy handes the succession of my vertues Such was their contention not vnmeete for so godly a priest so zelous a minister striuing with themselues who shoulde first suffer for the name of Christ Iesu. In tragical histories we haue it mentioned that through ioy admiration people claped their handes wheÌ„ Pylades named himselfe Orestes Orestes as truth it was affirmed himselfe to bee Orestes Pylades wishing to die for Orestes Orestes not suffering Pylades to loose his life for his sake But neither of them might escape death for both these louers were gilty of bloud the one committing the facte the other consenting But this our Laurence the Martyr most constant was by no meanes enforced to make this profer sauing onely by his ardent zeale and feruent spirite who thirsting after the cup of Maytirdome had it shortly after filled to the hard brymme Now let vs draw neare to the fire of Martyred Laurence that our colde hartes may be warmed thereby The mercylesse tyraunt vnderstanding this vertuous Leuite not onely to be a minister of the Sacramentes but a distributer also of the Church riches whereof mention is made before in the wordes of Xistus promised to himselfe a double pray by the appresion of one silly soule First with the rake of Auarice to scrape to himselfe the treasuâ—e of poore Christians then with the firy forke of tyranny so to tosse and turmoyle them that they should waxe weary of their Christian profession With furious face and cruell countenaunce the greedy wolfe demaunded where this Deacon Laurence had bestowed the substaunce of the Church Who crauing three dayes respite promised to declare where the treasure might he had In the meane time he caused a good number of poore Christians to be congregated So when the day of his aunswere was come the persecutor straightly charged him to staÌ„d to hys promise Then valiant LaureÌ„ce stretching out his armes ouer the poore sayde These are the precious treasure of the church These are the treasure in deede in whom the faith of Christ raigneth in whome Iesus Christ hath his mansion place What more precious Iuels can Christ haue theÌ„ those in whoÌ„ he hath promised to dwel For so it is written I was hungry ye gaue me to eate I was thirsty and
also Nicephorus for his myracles calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Galienus the foresayd Emperour raygned as is declared with his father Valerian vij yeares after whose captiuitie he ruled the Monarchie alone about ix yeares with some peace and quietnes graunted to the Church The daies of this Galienâ—s being expired followed Claudius a quiet Emperour as most stories do record Although Vincentius affirmeth that he was a mouer of persecution against the ChristiaÌ„s maketh mention of 262. Martyrs which in his time did suffer but because no such record remaineth to be found in Eusebius who woulde not haue omitted some memoriall thereof if it had bene true therefore I referre the same to the free iudgement of the Reader to finde such credite as it maye This Claudius raigned but two yeares after whome came Quintilianus his brother next Emperor a quiet Prince who coÌ„tinued but onely xvij daies and had to his successor Aurelianus vnder whome Orosius in his seuenth booke doth number the ix persecution against the Christians The ix Persecution HEtherto from the captiuitie of Ualerian the Church of Christ was in some quietnes till the death of Quintilianus as hath beene declared After whom Aurelianus the next successor possessed the crowne who in the first beginning of his raigne after the common maner of al princes shewed himselfe a Prince moderate and discrete much worthy of commendation if his good beginning had continued in a constant course agreeing to the same Of nature he was seuere rigorous in correcting dissolute in manners in so much that it was said of him in a vulgare prouerbe that he was a good phisition sauyng that he gaue to bitter medicines This Emperour being sicke neuer sent for Phisition but cured himselfe with abstinence And as his beginning was not vnfruitefull to the common wealth so neither was he any great disturber of the christians whom he did not onely tolerate in their religioÌ„ but also in their counsell beyng the same tyme assembled at Antioche semed not to be against them Notwithstanding in continuance of time through sinister motion and instigation of certaine about him as commonly such are neuer absent in al places from the eares of princes hys nature somewhat inclinable to seueritie was altered to a playne tyranny which tiranny first he shewed beginnyng with the death of his owne sisters sonne as wytnesseth Eutropius After that he proceeded either to mooue or at least to purpose persecution against the Christians Albeit that wicked purpose of the Emperour the mercifull working of God his hand did soone ouerthrow For as the edict or proclamation should haue beene denounced for the persecuting of the christians and the emperour now ready to subscribe the edict with his hande the mighty stroke of the hand of the lord sodainly from aboue did stop his purpose binding as a man might say the Emperours hands behinde him declaryng as Eusebius saieth to all men how there is no power to worke any violence against the seruauntes of God vnlesse his permission do suffer them and gyue them leaue Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 30. Eutropius and Uopiscus affirme that as the said Aurelianus was purposing to rayse persecutioÌ„ against vs he was sodainly terrified with lightning and so stopped from his wicked tyranny Not long after about the fifte or sixt yeare of hys rayne he was slaine betwene Bizance and Hieraclea an 278. Thus Aurelianus rather intended theÌ„ moued persecution Neither is there any more then this founde coÌ„cerning this persecution in auncient histories and records of the Church Wherfore I maruell the more that Vincentius collecting out of the Martyreloges hath comprehended such a great Cataloge of so manye martirs whiche in Fraunce and in Italye sayeth he suffered death and torments vnder this Emperour Aurelianus Wherunto Orosius also seemeth to agree in numbring this to be the ninth persecution vnder the sayd Aurelian Next after Aurelianus the succession of the impery fell to Publius Annius Tacitus who raigned but vj. monethes Him succeded his brother Florianus who raigned but lx dayes And after him followed Marcus Aurelius surnamed Probus Of whome more hereafter God willing shal appeare In the meane time within the compasse of these Emperours â—â—lleth in a story recorded of Eusebius and not vnworthy here to be noted whereby to vnderstand the faithfull diligence of good Ministers what good it may doe in a common wealth Mention is made before of Eusebius the Deacon of Dyonisius whom God stirred vp to vnite and comfort the saintes that were in prison and bandes and to burye the bodies of the blessed Martyrs departed not without great perill of his owne life and after was made bishop as is sayde of Laodicea But before he came to Laodicea to be bishop there it chaunced the sayde Eusebius remaining as yet at Alexandria the citie to be besieged of the Romaines Pyruchius being there captaine In the which siege halfe of the citie did hold with the Romaines the other half withstoode them In that part which went with the Romaine captaine was Eusebius being also in great fauour with the captaine for his worthy fidelitie and seruice shewed With the other halfe that resisted the Romains was Anatholius gouernour or moderator then of the schole of Alexandria who also was bishop after the sayde Eusebius of Laodicea This Anatholius perceiuing the citizens to be in miserable distresse of famine and destruction by reason of penury and lacke of sustenance sendeth to Eusebius beeng then with the Romaines and certifieth him of the lamentable penurie and perill of the citie instructing him moreouer what to do in the matter Eusebius vnderstanding the case repaireth to the captaine desiring of him so much fauoure that so many as would flee out of the citie from their enemies might be licenced to escape and freely to passe which was to him eftsoones graunted As Eusebius was thus labouring with the capitaine on the other side Anatholius for his part laboured with the Citizens moouing them to assemble togither and perswading them to geue themselues ouer in yeelding to the force and might of the Romaines But when the Citizens could not abide the hearing therof yet sayde Anatholius this I trust you will be conâ—ented if I shal couÌ„saile you in this miserable lacke of things to auoide out of your citie all such superfluities and vnnecessary impedimentes vnto you as olde women yong children aged men with such other as be feeble and impotent not to suffer them here to perish with famine whose presence can do no stead to you if they dy lesse if they liue for spending the victuals which otherwise might serue theÌ„ that be more able to defend the Citie The Senate hearing this sentence vnderstanding moreouer the graunt of the captaine promising them their safetie were well coÌ„senting therevnto Then Anatholius hauing a speciall care to them that belonged to the Church of Christ calleth them together
x. yeare of Constantinus It was not yet one yeare from the day in which Dioclesian Maximianus ioyning themselues together began their persecution when that they sawe the number of the Christians rather to encrease then to diminish notwithstanding all the cruelty that euer they coulde shew and now were out of all hope for the vtter rootyng out of them which thing was the cause of their first enterprise and had now euen their fill of bloud and lothed as it were the shedding thereof they ceased at the last of theyr owne accord to put any mo christians to death But yet of a great multitude they did thrust out their right eyes and maymed their left legs at the hamme with a searing iron condemning them to the mines of mettals not so much for the vse of their labour as for the desire of afflicting them And this was the clemencie and release of the crueltie of those Princes which sayd that it was not meete that the cities should be defiled with the bloud of citizens and to make the Emperours highnesse to bee destained with the name of cruelty but to shew his princely beneficence and liberalitie to all men Eusebius Lib. 8. cap 10. When Dioclesianus and Maximianus had raigned together Emperours twenty yeares and one Nicephorus saith xxij yeares at length Dioclesian put himselfe from his imperiall dignitie at Nicomedia and liued at Salona Maximinianus at Mediolanum and led both of theÌ„ a priuate life in the 309. yeare after Christ. This strange and meruailous alteration gaue occasion and so came to passe that within short space after there were in the Romaine commoÌ„ welth many Emperours at one tyme. In the beginning of this persecution you heard how Dioclesian beyng made Emperour tooke to him Maximinian Also how these two gouerning as Emperours together chose other two Caesars vnder them to wit Galerius Maximinus Constantius the father of Constantine the 〈◊〉 Thus then Dioclesian raigning with Maximinian in the 19. yeare of his raigne began his furious persecution against the christians whose raigne after the same continued not long For so it pleased God to put such a snaffle in the tyrants mouth that within two yeares after he caused both him and Maximinian for what cause he knoweth to geue ouer his Imperial function and so to remayne not as emperours any more but as priuate persones So that tâ—ey beyng now displaced and dispossessed the Imperial dominion remayned with Constantius Galerius Maximinus which two deuided the whole Monarchie betwene them so that Maximinus should gouerne the East countreys Constantius the west partes But Constantius as a modest Prince onely contented with the Imperial title refused Italy and Aphrike contenting himselfe only with Fraunce Spaine and Britaine Wherefore Galerius Maximinus chose to hym his two sonnes Maximinus and Seuerus Likewise Constantius tooke Constantinus his sonne Caesar vnder him In the meane tyme while Maximinus with his two Caesars were in Asia the Romaine souldiours set vp for their emperour Maxentius the sonne of Maximinian who had before deposed himselfe Against whom Maximinus the Emperour of the East sent his sonne Seuerus which Seuerus was slayne in the same voyage of Maxentius In whose place then Maximinus tooke Licinius And these were the Emperours and Caesars which succeeding after Dioclesian and Maximinian prosecuted the rest of that persecution which Dioclesian and Maximinian before begun duryng neare the space of seuen or viij yeares which was to the yeare of our Lorde 318. Saue onely that Constantius with his sonne Constantinus was no great doer therin but rather a maintainer and a supporter of the Christians Which Constantius surnamed Chlorus for his palenesse was the sonne of Eutropius a maÌ„ of great nobilitie of the Romaine union as Loetus affirmeth He came of the lyne of Aeneas and Claudia the daughter of Claudius Augustus This man had not the desire of great and mightie dominion and therefore parted he the Empire with Galerius and would rule but in France Britaine and Spayne refusing the other kingdomes for the troublesome and difficult gouernment of the same Otherwise he was a Prince as Eutropius maketh description of him very excellent ciuill meeke gentle liberall and desirous to do good vnto those that had any priuate authoritie vnder him And as Cyrus once sayd that he gaâ—e treasure inough when he made his friendes rich euen so it is sayd that Constantius would often tymes say that it were better that his subiects had treasure theÌ„ he to haue it in his treasure house Also he was by nature suffised with a little In so much that he vsed to eate and drinke in earthen vessels which thing was counted in Agathotles the Sicilian a great commendation and if at any tyme cause required to garnish his table he would send for plate and other furniture to his frendes To these vertues he added yet a more worthy ornament that is deuotion loue and affection towards the word of God as Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 13. affirmeth after which vertues ensued great peace and tranquillitie in all his Prouinces By which worde he being guided neither leuied any warres contrary to pietie and christian religion neither he aided anye other that did the same neither destroyed he the churches but commaunded that the christians should be preserued and defended and kept them safe from all contumelions iniuries And when that in the other iurisdictions of the Empire the congregatioÌ„s were molested with persecution as Sozomenus declareth Lib. 1. cap. 6. he only gaue licence vnto the Christians to liue after their accustomed maner This wonderfull acte of his followyng besides other doth shew that he was a sincere worshipper of the christian religion Those which bare the chiefe offices among the Ethnikes draue out of the emperors count all the godly Christians wherupon this ensued that the Emperors themselues at the last were destitute of helpe when suche were driuen away which dwelling in their courtes and liuyng a godly lyfe poureâ— out their prayers vnto God for the prosperous estate and health both of the Empire Emperor Constantius therefore thinkyng at a certayne tyme to try what sincere and good Christians he had yet in hys courte called together all hys officers and seruaunts in the same fayning himselfe to chitse out such as would do sacrifice to deuils and that those only should dwell there keep their offices and that those which would refuse to doe the same should be thrust out banished the court At this appointment all the 〈◊〉 deuided theÌ„selues into 〈◊〉 The Emperor marked which were the constantest godliest from the rest And when 〈◊〉 sayd that they would willingly do sacrifiâ—e other serue openly and boldly denied to do the same Then the Emperor 〈◊〉 rebuked those which were so redy to doe 〈◊〉 iudged them as false traitors vnto God accountyng their vnworthy to bee in his court which were such traitors to
cap. 6. 10. And forasmuch as yee haue hearde the cruell Edict of Maximinus proclaymed against the Christians grauen in brasse which he thought perpetually should endure to the abolishing of Christ his Religion Now marke againe the great handy worke of God which immediatly fel vpon the same checking the proud presumption of the tyrant prouing al to be false and contrary that in the brasen Proclamation was contained For where the foresaide Edict boasted so much of the prosperitie and plentie of all things in the time of this persecution of the Christians sodenly befell such vnseasonable drought with famine and pestileÌ„ce among the people besides also the warres with the Armenians that all was founde vntrue that hee had bragged so much of before By reason of which famine and pestilence the people were greatly consumed in so much that one measure of wheat was sold for two thousand and fiue hundred peeces of money of Athens coyne by reason whereof innumerable died in the Cities but many more in the countrey and villages so that most part of the husbaÌ„d men and countreymen died vp with the famine and pestilence Diuers there were which bringing out their best treasure were glad to geue it for any kinde of sustenaÌ„ce were it neuer so litle Other selling away their possessions fel by reason thereof to extreme pouertie and beggary Certaine eating grasse and feeding on other vnholsome herbes were faine to relieue them selues with such foode as did hurt and poyson their dodies Also a number of women in the Cities being brought to extreeme miserie and penurie were constrained to depart the Citie and fal to begging through the couÌ„trey Some other were weake and faint as Images without breath wandring vp and downe not able to stand for feblenesse fel downe in the middle of the streetes and holding vp their handes most pitifull cried for some scrappes or fragments of bread to be geuen them being at the last gaspe ready to geue vp the Ghost and not able to vtter any other words yet cried out that they were huÌ„gry Of the richer sort diuers there were who being weary with the number of beggers and askers after they had bestowed largely vpon them became hard harted fearing least they should fall into the same miserie themselues as they which begged By reason wherof the market place streetes lanes and alleis lay full of dead naked bodies being cast out and vnburied to the pitifull grieuous beholding of them that saw them Wherefore many were eaten of dogges for which cause they that liued fell to the killing of dogges least they running mad shoulde fall vpon them and kill them In like maner the pestilence scattering through all houses and ages of men did no lesse consume them especially those which through pleÌ„ty of vitail escaped famine Wherfore the rich Princes Presidentes and other innumerable of the Magistrates being the more apt to receiue the infection by reason of their pleÌ„ty were quickly dispatched and turned vp their heeles Thus the miserable multitude being consumed with famine and with pestilence all places was full of mourning neither was there any thing else seene but wailing and weeping in euery corner So that death what for famine and pestilence in short time brake vp and consumed whole housholdes two or three dead bodies being borne out together from one house to one funerall These were the rewards of the vaine bragges of Maximinus and his Edicts which he did publish in all townes and Cities against vs wheÌ„ it was euident to al men how diligent and charitable the Christians were to them all in this their miserable extremitie For they onely in all this time of distresse shewing compassion vpoÌ„ them trauelled euery day some in curing the sicke some in burying the dead which otherwise of their owne sort were forsaken Other some of the Christians calling and gathering the multitude together which were in ieopardie of famine distributed bread to them whereby they ministred occasion to all men to glorifie the God of the Christians and to confesse them to be the true worshippers of God as appeard by their workes By the meanes and reason hereof the great God and defender of the Christians who before had shewed his anger and indignation against al men for their wrongfull afflicting of vs opened againe vnto vs the comfortable light of his prouidence so that by meanes thereof peace fell vnto vs as light to them that sit in darknesse to the great admiration of all men which easely perceiue God himselfe to be a perpetuall director of our doings who many times chasteneth his people with calamities for a time to exercise them but after sufficient correction againe sheweth himselfe mercifull and fauourable to them which with trust call vpon him By the narration of these things heeretofore premised taken out of the storie of Eusebius like as it is manifest to see so is it wonderfull to marke and note how those counsailes and rages of the Gentiles atchieued against Christ and his Christians when they seemed most â—ure against them were most against them selues And whereby they thought most to confouÌ„d the Church Religion of Christ the same turned most to their owne confusion and to the profite and praise of the Christians God of his marueilous wisedome so ordering disposing the end of things For where the brasen Edict of the Emperour promised temperate weather God sent drought where it promised plentie God immediatly sent vpon them famine and penurie where it promised health God stroke them euen vpon the same with grieuous pestilence and with other moe calamities in such sort that the most reliefe they had was chiefly by the Christians to the great praise both of them and to the honour of our God Thus most plainely and euidently was then verified the true promise of Christ to his Church affirming and assuring vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church builded vpoÌ„ his faith as sufficiently may appeare by these x. persecutioÌ„s aboue specified and described Wherein as no man can deny but that Sathan his malignaunt world haue assayed the vttermost of their power and might to ouerthrow the Church of Iesus so must all men needes graunt that read these stories that when Sathan and the gates of hell haue done their worst yet haue they not preuailed against this mount of Sion nor euer shall For els what was here to be thought where so many Emperours and tyraunts together Dioclesian Maximinian Galerius Maximinus Seuerus Maxentius Licinius with their Captaines and officers were let loose like so many Lyons vpon a scattered and vnarmed flocke of sheepe intending nothing els but the vtter subuersion of all Christianitie and especially also when lawes were set vp in brasse against the Christians as a thing perpetually to stand what was here to be looked for but a finall desolation of the name and Religion of Christians But what
words the Eunuch forthwith brasting out in teares laying away his courtly apparell which was sumptuous costly putting vpon him a blacke and mourning weede sitteth before the court gates weping and bewailing thus saying with himselfe wo is me wyth what hope wyth what face shall I looke hereafter for my God which haue denied my god wheÌ„ as this Symeon my familiar acquantance thus passing by me so much disdaineth me that he refuseth with one gentle word to salute me These things being brought to the â—ares of the King as such tale cariers neuer lacke in Princes courtes procured against him no litle indignation wherupon Sapores the king sending for him first with gentle words courtly promises began to speake him faire asking him what cause he had so to mourne whether there was any thing in his house which was denied him or which he had not at his owne will and asking Whereunto Vsthazares aunswering againe saide That there was nothing in that earthly house which was to him lacking or wheruÌ„to his desire stod Yea would god said he O king any other grief or calamitie in al the world whatsoeuer it were had happened vnto me rather theÌ„ this for the which I do most iustly mourne and sorrow For this sorroweth me that I am this day aliue who should rather haue died long since that I see this sonne which against my hart and mynde for your pleasure disseÌ„blingly I appeared to worship for which cause doublewise I am worthy of death First for that I haue denied Christ. Secondly because I did dissemble with you And incontinent vpon these wordes swearing by him that made both heauen earth affirmed most certainly that although he had plaied the foole before he would neuer be so mad againe as in steede of the creator and maker of all thinges to worship the creatures which he had made and created Sapores the king being astonied at the so sodaine alteration of this man and doubting with hym selfe whether to be angry with those inchaunters or with him whether to intreat him wyth gentlenes or wyth rygour at length in this moode commaunded the sayde Vsthazares his old auncient seruaunt and first Tutor brynger vp of his youth to be had away and to be beheaded as he was going to the place of execution he desired of the executioners a lyttle to staye whyle he myght sende a message vnto the king which was this sent in by certayne of the kings most trusty Eunuches desiring him that for all the old and faythfull seruyce he had done to his Father to him he would now requite him with thys one office agayne to cause to bee cryed openlye by a publike cryer in these wordes followyng that Vsthazares was beheaded not for any trechery or cryme committed against the king or the Realme but onelye for that hee was a Christyan and woulde not at the Kinges pleasure denye hys God And so accordyng to hys requeste it was performed and graunted For thys cause dyd Vsthazares so much desire the cause of hys death to be publyshed because that as his shrynking backe from Christ was a great occasion to manye Christians to doe the lyke so nowe the same hearing that Vsthazares dyed for no other cause but only for the religion of Christ shoulde learne lykewyse by hys example to bee feruente and constaunt in that which they professe And thus thys blessed Eunuch dyd consummate hys Martyrdome Of the which hys Martyrdome Symeon hearing being in pryson was very ioyfull and gaue god thanks Who in the nexte daye followyng being brought foorth before the Kyng and constantly refusyng to condescende to the Kynges request to worshyp visible creatures was lykewyse by the commaundement of the Kyng beheaded wyth a great number mo whithe the same daye also did suffer to the number as is sayd of an hundreth and more All whiche were put to death before Symeon he standing by and exhortyng them wyth comfortable wordes admonishing them to stande fyrme and stedfast in the Lord Preachyng and teachyng them concernyng death resurrection and true pietye and prooued by the Scryptures that to be true which he had sayde Declaryng moreouer that to be true lyfe in deede so to dye and that to be death in deede to deny or to betray God for feare of punishment And added further that there was no man alyue but needes once must dye For so much as to all men is appoynted necessarelye here to haue an ende But those thyngs which after this lyfe followe hereafter to bee eternall which neyther shall come to all men after one sorte But as the condition and trade of lyfe in dyuers men doth dyffer and is not in all men like so the tyme shall come when all men in a moment shall render and receaue accordyng to theyr dooynges in thys present lyfe immortall rewardes such as haue here done well of lyfe and glory such as haue done contrary of perpetual punishment As touching therefore our well doyng here is no doubte but of all other our holy actions and vertuous deedes there is no hyer or greater deede then if a man here loose his lyfe for hys Lord God Wyth these wordes of comfortable exhortation the holye Martyrs beyng prepared willyngly yeelded vp their liues to death After whom at last followed Symeon with two other Priestes or Mynisters of his Church Abedecalaas and Ananias which also wyth him were pertakers of the same Martyrdome At the sufferyng of those aboue mentioned it happened that Pusices one of the Kynges offycers and ouerseer of hys Artificers was there present who seeyng Ananias beyng an aged olde Father somwhat to shake and tremble at the syght of them that suffered O Father sayde he a lyttle moment shut thyne eies and be strong and shortly thou shalt see the sight of God Upon these words thus spoken Pusices immediately was apprehended brought to the King Who there confessing himselfe constantly to be a Chrystian and for that he was very bould and hardy before the king in the cause of Christs faith was extremely and most cruelly handled in the execution of his Martyrdome For in the vpper part of hys necke they made a hole to thrust in theyr hande and pluckt out hys tongue out of hys mouth and so he was put to death At the which time also the daughter of Pusices a godly virgine by the malicious accusation of the wicked was apprehended put to death The next yeare followyng vpon the same day when the Christians did celebrate the remembraunce of the Lords passion which wee call good Frydaye before Easter as wytnesseth the sayde Zozomenus Sapores the king directed out a cruell and sharpe Edict throughout al his land condemning to death all them whosoeuer confessed themselues to be Christians By reason whereof an innumeble multitude of Christians through the wicked procuring of the malignant Magitians suffered the same tyme
against them not onely here in Britayne but through all parts of Christendome by the Heathen infidels In so much that in the persecution onely of Dioclesian Maximinian raigning both together within one moneth xvij thousand martyrs are nūbred to haue suffered for the name of Christ as hath bene hetherto in the booke before sufficiently discoursed Thus therefore although the foresayd Lucius the Britaine king through the mercifull prouidence of God was then Christened and the gospel receaued generally almost in all the land yet the state thereof as wel of the Religion as of the common wealth coulde not be quiet for that the emperors nobles of Rome were yet infidels enemies to the same but especially for this cause the cause so happening that Lucius the Christen king died without issue for therby such trouble variance fel amōg the Britaines as it happeneth in al other Realmes namely in this our Realme of England when soeuer succession lacketh that not onely they brought vpon them the Idolatrous Romaines at length the Saxons but also in wrapped them selues in suche miserie and desolation as yet to thys day amongest them remayneth Such a thyng it is where a Prince or a King is in a kingdome there to lacke succession as especially in this case may appere For after the death of Lucius when the Barons and Nobles of the land could not accord wtin themselues vpon succession of the crowne stept in the Romaines got the crowne into their owne hands wherupon followed great misery and ruine to the realme for sometimes the Idolatrous Romaines sometimes the Britaynes raigned and ruled as violence and victorie would serue one king murderyng an other till at length the Saxones came and depriued them bothe as in processe hereafter followeth to be seene In the meane season touching the story of king Lucius here is to be reproued the fable of some wryters falsely faining of him that he shoulde after hys Baptisme receaued put of all his kingly honor and forsake the land be made a preacher who after long trauaile in preaching and teaching in Fraunce in Germany in Augusta in Sueuia at length was made Doctor and Rector of the Churche of Cureak where as this fable sayeth he suffered Martyrdome But this phātasie of whomsoeuer it first did spring disagreeeth from all our English stories Who with a full consent do for the most part cōcord in this that the said Lucius after he had foūded many Churches and geuen great riches and liberties to the same deceased with great tranquillitie in his owne lande and was buried at Glocester the 14. yeare after his Baptisme as the booke of Flores Historiarum doeth counte which was the yeare of our Lorde as he sayeth 201. and reckeneth his conuersion to be An. 87. In some I finde hys decease to be the fourth in some the tenth yeere after his Baptisme and holde that he raigned all the space of lxxvij yeares and thus much concerning king Lucius Now to proceede in order of the storie briefly to touch the state of the foresaid land of Britayne betwene the time of king Lucius and the entring of the Saxones who were the kings thereof and in what order they succeeded or rather inuaded one after an other this Catalogue heere vnder written will specifie Kinges of Britaine from the time of Lucius till the cōming of the Saxons Lucius a Britayne Seuerus a Romaine Bassianus a Romaine by the father Cerausius a Britayne Alectus a Romaine Asclepiodotus a Britayne Coilus a Britayne Constantius a Romaine Constantinus a Britayne by the Mother named Helena who being the daughter of Coel maryed to Constantius father of Cōstantinus is said to make the walles first of London also of Colchester muche about the yere of the Lorde 305. and borne in Britayne Octauius a Gewissian Maximinianus a Romaine borne but hys mother a Britaine Gratianus a Romaine Constantinus a Britayne by the mother Constans a Romaine by the father Votigerus a Gewissian or Bri. Vortimerus a Brit. Vortigernus againe By this table may appere a lamentable face of a common wealth so miserably rent and diuided into two sortes of people differing not so much in coūtrey as in religion For when the Romaines raigned so were they gouerned by the Infidels When the Britaynes ruled so they were gouerned by Christians Thus what quietnesse was or could be in the Church in so vnquiet and doubtful dayes it may easely be considered Albeit notwithstanding al these foresayd Heathen rulers of the Romaines which here gouerned yet God be praised we read of no persecution during all these x. persecutiōs aboue mentioned that touched the christian Britaynes before the last persecution onely of Dioclesian and Maximianus Herculius whych here then exercised much crueltie Thys persecution as it was the last among the Romane Christians so it was the first of many diuers that followed after in thys Churche and Realme of England wherof we will here after intreate Christ willing as order of the matter shall leade vs. In the meane tyme this rage of Dioclesian as it was vniuersally through all the churches in the world fierce vehement so in this realme of Britayne also it was so sore that as all our English Chronicles do testifie and recorde all Christianitie almost in the whole land was destroied Churches were subuerted all bookes of the Scripture burned many of the faythfull both men and women were slaine Among whom the first and chiefe was Albanus then Iulius Aaron and Amphibalus Of whome sufficiently hath bene sayde before What were the other or howe many they were that suffered beside stories make no rehearsall And thus much therof Nowe as concerning the gouernement of these aboue named kinges of Britayne although I haue little or nothing to note which greatly appertaineth to the matter of this Ecclesiasticall hystorie yet this is not to be past ouer first how in the order of these kings commeth Constantinus the great worthy Emperor not onely a Britayne borne by hys mother Helina being kyng Coilus daughter but also by the helpe of the Britaynes army vnder the power of God whych the sayde Constantine tooke wyth hym out of Britain to Rome obtained with great victory peace and tranquilitie to the whole vniuersall Church of Christ hauing iij. legions with him out of this realme of chosen able soldiors Wherby the strēgth of the lād was not a litle impaired indangered as afterward in this story foloweth After him likewise Maximian following his steppes tooke wyth him also as stories recorde all the power and strength whych was left and whatsoeuer he could make of able and fighting men to subdue Fraunce besides the garrisons whych he had out wyth him before sending for mo to the number of C.M. souldiors at once to be sent to hym out of Britayne into Fraunce At whych time also Conanus his partener being then in Fraunce sent ouer
vs with their praiers preachings they persecute vs. Whervpon after that Brocmayl being ouercome did flee awaye the king commaunded his men to turne their wepons against the sely vnarmed Monkes of whome he slewe the same time or rather Martired .1100 onely fiftie persons of that number did flee and escape awaye with Brocmayl the rest were all slaine The authors that write of this lamentable murder declare saye howe the forespeaking of Austen was here verefied vpon the Britanes which because they would not ioine peace with their frends he said should be destroied of their enimis Of both these parties the reader may iudge what he pleaseth I can not see but both together were to be blamed And as I cannot but accuse the one so I cannot defend the other First Austen in this matter can in no wise be excused who being a monke before therfore a scholer professor of humilitie shewed so litle humilitie in this assembly to seuen Byshops an Archbishop coÌ„ming at his coÌ„maundement to the Councell that he thought scorne once to stirre at their comming in Much lesse would his Pharisaicall solemnity haue girded himselfe washed his brethrens feete after their trauaile as Christ our great maister did to his Disciples seyng his Lordship was so hie or rather so heauy or rather so proude that coulde not finde in his hart to giue them a little moouing of his body to declare a brotherly humble hart Againe the Britaynes were much or more to blame who so much neglected their spirituall duety in reuenging their temporal iniury that they denyed to ioyne vnto their helping labour to turne the Idolatrous Saxons to the way of lyfe and saluatioÌ„ In which respect all priuate cases ought to geue place and to be forgotten For the whiche cause although lamentable to vs yet no great meruaile in them if the stroke of gods punishment did light upon theÌ„ according to the wordes of Austen as is before declared But especially the cruell king in this fact was most of all to blame so furiously to flee vpon them which had neither weapoÌ„ to resist him nor yet any will to harme him And so likewise the same or like happened to himselfe afterward For so was he also slayne in the field by Christian Edwine who succeeded him as he had slayne the Christians before whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 610. But to returne to Austen agayne who by report of authors was departed before this cruelty was done after he had baptised and christened x. thousand Saxons or Angles in the West riuer that is called Swale beside Yorke on a ChristeÌ„masse day perceauing hys end to draw neare he ordayned a successor named Laurentius to rule after him the Archbishops sea of Dorobernia Where note by the way Christian Reader that wheras Austen baptised then in riuers it followeth there was then no vse of fontes Agayne if it be true that Fabian sayth he baptised x. thousaÌ„d in one day the rite theÌ„ of Baptising at Rome was not so ceremoniall neither had so manye trinkets at that tyme as it hath had since or els it could not be that he coulde baptise so many in one daye In the meane season about this time departed Gregory Byshop of Rome of whom it is sayd that of the number of al the first Bishops before him in the primitiue time he was the basest of all them that came after him hee was the best About whiche tyme also dyed in Wales Dauid Archbishop first of Kayrleion who then translated the sea from thence to Meneuia and therefore is called Dauid of Wales Not long after this also deceased the foresayd Austen in England after he had set there xv or xvi yeares by the which count we may note it not to be true that Henry Huntington and other doe witnesse that Austen was dead before that battaile of Ethelfride agaynst the MoÌ„kes of BaÌ„gor For if it be true that Polycronicon testifieth of this murder to be done about the yeare of our Lorde 609. and the comming of Austen first into the Realme to be an 596. then Austen enduring xvi yeares could not be dead at thys battell Moreouer Galfridus Monumetensis declareth concerning the same battell that Ethelbert the king of Kent beyng as is sayd conuerted by Austen to Christes fayth after he saw the Britaynes to disdayne and deny their subiection vnto Austen neyther would assist him with preaching to the English nation therefore stirred vp he the foresayd Ethelfride to warre agaynst the Britaynes But that seemeth rather suspicious then true that he being a Christen king eyther could so much preuayle with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so farre to commit such a cruell deede But of vncertayne things I haue nothing certainly to say lesse to iudge About this present tyme aboue prefixed which is 610. I read in the story of Ranulphus Cestrensis the writer of Polychronicon of Iohn the Patriarche of Alexandria who for his rare example of hospitality and bountifulnes to the poore I thought no lesse worthy to haue place amongest good men then I see the same now to be followed of few This Iohn beyng before belike a hard and sparing man as he was at hys prayer vpon a tyme it is sayd there appeared to him a comely virgine hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe mercy saying to him and promising that if he would take her to wiâ—e he should prosper well This whether it were true or not or els inuented for a moralitie I would wish this florishing damsell so to be maryed to moe then to this Iohn that shee should not liue so long a virgine now as she doth because no man will marry her But to returne to his Patriarch who after that day as the story recordeth was so merciful and so beneficiall especially to the poore and needy that he counted them as hys maysters and himself as a seruaunt and steward vnto them This Patriarch was wont commonly twise a weeke to sit at hys doore all the day long to take vp matters and to set vnitie where was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all the day before hys gate and saw no man come lamented that all that day hee had done no good To whome his Deacon standing by aunswered agayne that hee had more cause to reioyse seeing he had brought the Cittie in that order and in such peace that there needed no reconcilement amongest them An other time as the sayd Iohn the Patriarche was at the Seruice and reading the Gospell in the church the people as their vsed maner is went out of the church to talke and iangle he perceauing that went out likewise and sat amongst them wherat they marueyling to see him do so My children said he where the flocke is there ought the shepherd to be wherefore either come you in that I may also
Images inuented of the Diuel the which all men that beleue on Christ ought of necessitie to forsake and detest least they should be an offence to those Iewes that were amongst the Gentiles For this cause dyd S. Paule Circumcise Timothie for this cause did hee sacrifice in the temple and did shaue his head with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth all which thinges were done to none other purpose then to eschue the offeÌ„ce of the Iewes Hereupon also said Iames to Paule thou seest brother howe many thousand Iewes do beleue all these be zealous notwithstanding of the law Yet seing the Gospell is so manyfestly preached in the worlde it is not lawfull for the faithfull to bee Circumcised neither to offer sacrifice oâ— carnall things to God Therefore Iohn according to the custome of the law the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening did begin the celebration of the feast of Easter nothing respecting whether it were relebrated in the Sabboth or in any other feriall day But Peter when hee preached at Rome remembring that the Lord did arise from death on the first day after the Sabboth giuing thereby an hope to the world of the resurrection thoughht good to institute Easter on the day not after the vse and precepts of the law that was the xiiij day of the first moneth Euen so Iohn looking for the Moone at night if it did arise the next day after were Sonday which was then called the Sabboth then did he celebrate the Easter of the Lord in the euening like as wee vse to do eueÌ„ at this day But if Sonday were not the next day after the xiiij day but fel on the xvi day or xvij or on any other day vnto the xxi he taried alwayes for it and did begin the holy solemnitie of Easter on the euening nexte before the sabboth And so came it to passe that Easter was alwaies kept on the Sonday and was not celebrated but from the xv day vnto the xxj Neither doth this tradition of the Apostle breake the law but fulfilled the same In the which it is to be noted that Easter was instituted froÌ„ the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening vnto the xxj day of the same moneth at euening the which manner all S. Iohns successours in Asia after his death did follow and the Catholike Church throughout the whole worlde And that this is the true Easter and onely of all Christians to be obserued it was not newly decred but confirmed by the Councell of Nice as appeareh by the Ecclesiasticall history Wherupon it is manifest that you Colman do neither folow the example of S. Iohn as ye thinke nor of S. Peter whose tradition you do willingly resist nor of the church nor yet of the gospel in the celebration of Easter For S. Iohn obseruing Easter according to the preceptes of the law kept it not on the first daye after the Sabboth But you precisely keepe it onely on the first day after the Sabboth Peter did celebrate Easter from the xv daye of the moone to the xxj day but you keepe Easter from the xiiij vnto the xx day so that you begin Easter oftentimes the xiij day at night of which maner neither the law nor the Gospell maketh any mention But the Lord in the xiiij day either did eate the olde passouer at night or els did celebrate the sacraments of the new Testament in the remeÌ„braunce of his death and passioÌ„ You doe also vtterly reiect from the celebration of Easter the xxj daye the whiche the law hath chiefly willed to be obserued And therfore as I saide in the keeping of Easter you neither agree wyth S. Iohn nor with Peter nor with the lawe nor yet with the Gospel Then Colman againe aunswered to these things saying Did then Anatholius a godly man and on much coÌ„mended in the foresaid Ecclesiasticall history agaynst the law the Gospell who writeth that the Easter was to be kept froÌ„ the xiiij day vnto the xx or shal we thinke that Columba our reuerend father and his successors being meÌ„ of God who obserued the Easter after this maner did against the holye Scripture where as some of them were men of such godlines and vertue as was declared by their wonderful miracles And I hereby nothing doubting of their holines do endenor to fallow their life order dyscipline Then saide Wilfride it is certaine that Anatholius was both a godly and a learned man and worthy of great commendation but what haue you to do with him seyng you obserue not his order For he following the true rule in keping his Easter obserueth the circle of xix yeares The which either you know not or if you do you coÌ„temne the common order obserued in the vniuersal church of Christ. And moreouer the saide Anatholius doth so count the xiiij day in the obseruation of Easter as he confesseth the same to â—e the xv day at night aâ—ter the maner of the EgiptiaÌ„s and likewise noteth the xx day to be in the feast of Easter the xxi in the euening the which distinctioÌ„ that you know not by this may appeare for that you keepe the Easter on the xiij daye before the full Moone Or otherwise I can aunswere you touching your father Columba and his successors whose order you say you follow moued therto by their miracles on this wise that the Lorde will aunswere to many that shall say in the day of iudgement that in his name they haue prophesied cast out deuils haue done many miracles c. that he neuer knew theÌ„ But God forbid that I should say so of your fathers bicause it is much beter to beleue wel of those we know not then ill WherevpoÌ„ I deny not but they were the seruaunts of God and holy men the which loued the Lord of a good inteÌ„t though of a rude simplicitie And I thinke that the order whiche they vsed in the Easter did not much hurt them so long as they had none amongst them that could shew theÌ„ the right obseruation of the same for them to follow For I thinke if the truth had beene declared vnto them they woulde as well haue receiued it in this mater as they did in others But you and your felowes if you refuse the order of the apostolicall sea or rather of the vniuersal Church which is confirmed by the holy scripture without al doubt you doe sinne and though your forefathers were holy meÌ„ * what is their fewnes being but a corner of an IlelaÌ„d to be preferred before the vniuersall Churche of Christ dyspersed throughout the whole world And if Columba your father ours also being of Christ were mighty in miracles is he therefore to bee preferred before the Prince of the holy Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuayle against it
the border of the Alpes in Italie Of his thirde wife Ethelwide he receiued two sonnes Edmund and Edred which both reigned after Adelstane And two daughters Egburga whome hee made a Nonne and Eadguina who was married to Ludouicus Prince of Aquitania in Fraunce These sonnes and daughters Kyng Edwarde thus brought vp Hys daughters hee set to spinning and to the needle Guliel de Reg. His sonnes he set to the studie of learning vt quasi Philosophi ad gubernandam remp non iam tudes procederent that is to the ende that they being as first made Philosophers should be the more expert thereby to gouerne the common wealth ¶ King Ethelstane or Adelstane EThelstane or Adelstane after the death of Edwarde hys father began his reigne in England and was crowned at Kingstone He was a prince of worthy memorie valyant and wise in all his actes nothing inferiour to hys father Edwarde In like worldly renowne of ciuile gouernance ioyned with much prosperous successe in reducing this realme vnder the subiection of one monarchie For he both expelled the Danes subdued the Scottes and quieted the Welshinē as wel in Northwales as also in Cornwale The first enemie against this Ethelstane was one Elfredus who with a faction of seditious persons conspiring against the saide Ethelstane at Winchester continently after the death of hys father went about to put out his eyes Notwithstanding the king escaping that danger through the helpe of God was at that time deliuered Elfrede vpon the same being accused fled to Rome there before the Pope to purge himselfe by hys othe Who being brought to the Churche of S. Peter and there swearing or rather forswearing himself to be cleare which in deede was guiltie thereof sodenly vpon his othe fell downe and so brought to the English house in Rome within 3. daies after departed The Pope sending worde to king Ethelstane whether he would haue the sayde Eldred buried among Christians or not at length through the perswasions of his friendes and kinsfolkes it was concluded that he should be buryed in Christen buriall This storie although I finde in no other writers mentioned but only in the Chronicles of Guliel Lib. de Regi yet forasmuch as it heareth the witnesse and wordes of the king himselfe as testified in an old dede of gift giuen to the monastery of Malmesbury I thought the same the more to be of credite The wordes of the king procede in this tenor as followeth ¶ The copie of an olde writing of king Ethelstane testifying of the miraculous death of Duke Elfrede sodenly stroken by the hande of God for periurie SCiant sapientes regionis nostrae non has praefatas terras me iniustè rapuisse rapinamque Deo dedisse Sed sic eas accepi quemadmodum iudicauerunt omnes optimates regni Anglorum Insuper Apostolicus Papa Romanae ecclesiae Ioannes Elfredo defuncto qui nostrae foelicitati vitae aemulus extitit nequitiae inimicorum nostrorum consentiens quando me voluerunt patre defuncto coecare in vrbe Wintonia si non me Deus sua pietate eripuisset Sed denudatis eorum machinamentis remissus est ad Romanam ecclesiam vt ibi se coram Apostolico Ioanne iureiurando defenderet Et hoc fecit coram altare sancti Petri Sed facto iuramento cecidit coram altare manibus famulorum suorum portatus est ad scholam Anglorum ibi tertia nocte vitam finiuit Et tunc Apostolicus ad nos remisit quid de eo ageretur a nobis consuluit an cum caeteris Christianis corpus illius poneretur His peractis nobis renunciatis optimates regionis nostrae cum propinquorum illius turma efflagitabant omni humilitate vt corpus illius per nostram licentiam cum corporibus poneretur Christianorū Nosque flagitationi illorum cōsentientes Romam remisimus Papa consentiente positus est ad caeteros Christianos quamuis indignus Et sic iudicata est mihi tota possessio eius in magnis in modicis Sed haec apicibus literarum praenotauimus ne quando aboleatur vnde mihi praefata possessio quam Deo sancto Petro dedi donatur Nec iustiùs noui quám Deo sancto Petro hanc possessionem dare qui aemulum meum in conspectu omnium cadere fecerunt mihi prosperitatem regni largiti sunt c. In the second yeare of the reigne of King Adelstane for an vnitie and a peace to be had betwene the King and the Danes of Northumberlande hee marryed to Sythericus their king his sister whereof mention is made before But shortly after within one yeare this Sythericus died After whose death King Ethelstane seazed that prouince into hys owne hande putting out the sonne of the foresayde Sythericus called Alanus who wyth his brother Godfridus fledde the one into Irelande the other to Constantine King of the Scottes And when he had thus accorded with the Danes of Northumberlande hee shortly made subiect vnto him Constantine King of Scottes But the sayde Constantine meeked himselfe so lowly to the King that he restored him to his former dignitie saying that it was more honour to make a king then to be a king Not long after the sayde Constantine King of Scottes did breake couenaunt with king Ethelstane Wherefore hee assembled his Knights made toward Scotland Where he subduing his enemies and bringing them againe vnto due subiection returned into England with victory Here by the way in some storie wryters who forgetting the office of historicians seme to play the Poetes is written and recorded for a maruell that the sayde Ethelstane returning out of Scotland into England came to Yorke and so into the Churche of S. Iohn of Beuerly to redeeme his knife which before hee had lefte there for a pledge at hys going forth In the which place he praying to God to S. Ihon of Beuerley that he might leaue there some remembrance wherby they that came after might know that the Scots by right should be sudbued to the English mē smote with sword they say vpon a great hard stone standing nere about the castle of Dunbar that with the stroke thereof the stone was cut a large elne deepe with a lie no lesse deepe also then was the stroke in the stone But of this poetical or fabulous storie albeit Polychronicon Fabian Iornalensis and other mo constantly accorde in the same yet in Guliel and Henricus no mention is made at all But peraduenture hee that was the inuentour first of this tale of the stone was disposed to lie for the whetstone Wherefore in my minde he is worthy to haue it Of like truth credite seemeth also to be this that followeth about the same yeare and time vnder the raigne of King Ethelstane being the viij yeare of hys raigne of one Bristanus Bishop of Winchester who succeeded Frithstanus in the same sea and gouerned that Bishoprike
tyme which was Archbishop of Canterbury being no moÌ„ke For all the other before him were of the profession of Monkes of whoÌ„ a great part had bene ItaliaÌ„s vnto Berctualdus Notwithstanding this Odo beyng also a stranger borne after he was elected into the bishoprike to aunswer to the old custome of others before him sayled ouer into France and there at Floriake after the vsuall maner aboue mentioned of Englishmen receiued the profession and habite of monkish religion as sayth my foresayd author And like as the sayd Odo first beyng no monke was made Archbishop of Canterbury So also Ulstanus the same tyme beyng bishop of Yorke and of Worcester differed from diuers his predecessours before him in profession and in habite of whome the forenamed author thus writeth in his iij. booke speaking of Ulstanus qui sanctitate discrepabat habitu that is he differed in sanctimonie and in habite Whereby is to be collected that in those dayes was a difference in habite garment not only betwene monkes bishops but also betwene one Bishop and an other Albeit what difference it was yet I do not finde But I returne agayne to Odo who by the description of his maners might seeme not to be the worste that occupied that place were it not that our lying histories faining false miracles vpon him as they do of other make him in deede to seeme worse then he was As where they imagine that he should see from heauen a sworde fall into the scabberd of king Ethelstane IteÌ„ where he should couer and defend the church of Canterbury with his praiers from raine And also where he should turne the bread of the aulter as the writer termeth it into liuely fleshe from flesh into bread againe to confirme the people which before doubted in the same Where note agayn good Reader that albeit this miracle were true as no doubt it is vntrue yet is it to be noted that in those dayes was a great doubt among englishmen of the popish sacrament that transubstantiatioÌ„ was not receiued into the christiaÌ„ creed The like iudgement is to be geueÌ„ also of that where our English writers testifieng of the same Odo say that hee should prophesie long before of Dunstan to be his successor in the church of Canterbury But to let these fantasies and idle stories passe this which we find of Odo his own writing is certain that the said Odo in the raigne of kyng Edmund had a synode commensed of the chiefe Prelates and meÌ„ of the clergy in his time to whom he directed this letter here following the copy whereof I thought to expresse for the Reader to see what zelous care raigned in Archbishops then toward the Church of the Lord. The wordes of his epistle proceed in this tenour The letter or an Epistle of Odo Archbishop of Caunterbury sent to the other Bishops and men of the Clergy MIrabili cunctipotentis polorum praesulis clementia opitulante Ego Odo ecclesiae Saluatoris Domini nostri Iesu Christi Archiepiscopus Douerniensis ciuitatis Metropolitanus coepiscopis fidei catholicae compagatoribus spirituali charitatis rigore meis confratribus Praesentium prosperitatem aethereique decoris beatitudinem c. The same in English By the deuine grace of God I Odo of the church of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ Archbishop Metropolitane of the citie of Douer to my fellow bishops and fellow planters of the catholike fayth and my fellow brethren in the spirituall bonde of charitie with greeting wish prosperitie in this world present in the world to come felicitie If it were so or by any meanes could be that all the riches of this world were layd before myne eyes so that I beyng Emperour had all things vniuersally vnder my subiection all those things gladly would I geue yea and my selfe also would offer willingly for the health of your soules as which also do desire and trust likewise my self to be strengthened with the feruencie of your holynesse as appertayning to those things wherin the Lord our God hath set vs to be workmen c. And after a few other wordes of like effect wherein he doth declare the heauy burden of his office it followeth after this maner Wherfore most humbly and one vnworthy but yet a deuouâ— fellow brother of yours I beseech and exhort your holines that you will not shew your selues cold and negligent in the cure and regiment of soules so that in the tyme of the feareful iudgement the Lord doe not complaine of you saying my shepeheards did not feed my flocke but they fed theÌ„selues And agayne they were princes of my flocke and I knew not of it But rather let vs take heede and be diligent ouer the houshold of the Lord ouer which he hath set vs to be the leaders to geue them meate true measure of corne in tyme conuenient that is to say wholesome doctrine And although vpon myne owne demerites or worthinesse I do not presume to comfort or exhort any man but as one beyng vnworthy faultie in transgressions innumerable am glad and stand in neede rather to be strengthened by your brotherly admonitions yet for the auncient authoritie of my predecessors as of Augustine of happy memory and also of all other saintes by whose industrie the rule of christianitie did first florish and spring from this Metropolitane sea vnto all quarters of England Therefore I haue thought good to direct vnto you these my letters to the profit of you all especially for that our renowmed princely king Edmond with all his people doth ioy to folow that which he heareth in you and of you and also forsomuch as all his subiectes which be vnder his Imperiall dominion doe loue and delight to follow most ioyfully the same and report of your sincere conuersation c. This Odo continued bishop the space of 20. yeres After whom Elsinus was elected and ordained by the kyng to succeede through fauour and money but in goyng to Rome for the Popes palle in his iourney thorough the Alpes he decayed and died for cold Whereupon succeeded Dunstane as in tyme and place by the leaue of Christ foloweth to be declared This Edmund gaue to S. Edmund the Martyr before mentioned the towne of Bredrichâ—ehworth which is now called S. Edmondesbury with great reuenues and lands appertainyng to the same But concerning the friuolous miracles which our Monkish storywriters here â—ayne of this good Edmund by the way or rather out of the way I let them passe And thus much concerning the raign of king EdmuÌ„d who after he had raigned vj. yeres and half was slaine as is sayd at Pulchorchurch and buried at Glastenbury of Dunstane leauing behynd him two children Edwine Edgar by his wife Elgina But because the foresaid children were yet yong vnder age therfore Edrede brother to king Edmund and vncle to the children gouerned as Protector about the space of 9.
Constantinus an 340. Syricus to Theodosius Anno. 388. Gregorius to Mauritius An. 600. Hilarius to Iustinian An. 528. Adrianus and Leo to Carolus Magnus An. 801. Paschalis and Ualentius to Ludouicus Pius an 830. Sergius 29. vnto Lotharius An. 840. Benedictus the 3. and Ioannes the 9. vnto Ludouicus sonne of Lotharius an 856. But against this obedience and subiection Hildebrād first began to spurne and by his example taught all other Bishops to do the like In somuch that at length they wrought and brought to passe to be lawful for a fewe curtisans Cardinals cōtrary to auncient ordinance and statutes decretal to chuse what Pope they list without any consent of the Emperor at all And where as before it stoode in the Emperors gift to geue and graunt Byshoprikes Archbishoprikes benefices and other Ecclesiasticall prefermentes within theyr owne limites to whom they lift now the Popes through much wrastling warres and contention haue extorted al that into their owne hāds and to their assignes yea haue pluckt in all the riches power of the whole worlde And not cōtent with that haue vsurped and preuailed so much aboue Emperors that as before no Pope might be chosen wtout the cōfirmation of the Emperor so now no Emperor may be elected wtout the confirmation of the Pope taking vpon them more then Princes to place or displace Emperours at their pleasure for euery light cause to put downe or to set vp when whom they lifted as Fridericus Primus for holding the left stirrup of the popes sadel was persecuted almoste to excommunication The which cause moueth me to straine more diligence here in setting out the history actes and doings of this Hildebrand from whom as the first patron and founder sprang al this ambition contention about the liberties dominion of the Romane church to the intent that such as cānot read the Latine histories may vnderstand in English the original of euils howe and by what occasion they first began and how long they haue continued And first howe this Hildebrand hetherto had behaued himselfe before he was Pope I haue partly declared For though he was not yet Pope in name yet he was there Pope in deede ruled the Pope and all their doinges as him listed Item what waies and fetches he had attempted euer since his first comming to the Courte of Rome to magnifie and maintaine false libertie against true authoritie what practise he wrought by Coūcels what factions and conspiracies he made in stirring vp Popes against Emperours striuing for superioritie and what warres followed therof I haue also expressed Now let vs see further by the helpe of Christe the worthy vertues of this princely prelate after he came to be Pope as they remaine in histories of diuers and sondry writers described The tragicall historie of Gregorie the vij otherwise named Hildebrand THe words of the latine historie be these Hactenus pontifices Rom. comitijs curiatis calatis a sacerdotibus equitatu plebe Senatu c. In English Hetherto the Byshoppes of Rome haue bene elected by voyces and suffrages of all sortes and degrees as well of the Priests and the Clergy as of the nobilitie people and Senate all conuenting and assembling together And this election so I finde to stande in force if so be it were ratified and confirmed by the consent of Romane Emperors who had authoritie to call and to assemble all these as well as Byshops together vnto councels as case required Under the authoritie and iurisdiction of these Emperours were contained both in Germany Fraunce Italy and through the whole dominion of Rome all Patriarches Bishops masters of Churches and Monasteries by the decree of Councels according to the olde custome of our aunceters as is declared in a certaine storie in the life of Carolus Magnus The holy and auncient fathers like as Christ our Lorde with his disciples and Apostles both taught and did honoured and esteemed their Emperours as the supreame potestate next vnder God in earth set vp ordained elected and crowned of God aboue all other mortall men and so counted them and called them their Lords To them they yelded tribute and paide their subsidies Also prayed euery day for their life Such as rebelled against them they tooke as rebelles and resisters against God his ordinance and christian pietie The name of the Emperor then was of great maiestie and receiued as geuen from God Then these fathers of the Church neuer intermedled nor intangled themselues with politike affaires of the common weale muche lesse they occupied Martiall armes and matters of cheualrie Onely in pouertie and modestie was all their contention with other Christians who shoulde be poorest and most modest amōgst them And the more humblenes appeared in any the higher opiniō they cōceiued of him The sharpe and two edged sworde they tooke geuen to the Churche of Christ to saue and not to kill to quicken not to destroy and called it the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God the life and light of men and reuoketh from death to life making of men Gods of mortall immortall Farre were they from that to thrust out any Prince or Kyng though he were neuer so farre out of the way yea an Arrian from his kingdome or to curse him to release hys subiects from their oth and their allegeance to change and translate kingdoms to subuert empires to pollute themselues with Christen bloude or to warre with their Christian brethren for rule principalitie This was not their spirite maner then but rather they loued obeyed their Princes Again Princes loued them also like fathers and fellow princes with them of the soules of men Now this Gregorius the seuenth otherwise named Hildebrandus trusting vpon the Normains which then rufled about Apusia Calabria and Campania trusting also vpon the power of Machtilda a stout woman thereabout Rome partly again bearing himself bold for the discord among the Germains first of all other contrary to the maner of elders contemning the authoritie of the emperour inuaded the Cathedrall sea of Rome vauncing himselfe as hauing both the ecclesiastical and temporal sword committed to him by Christ that fulnes of power was in his hande to bind and loose what so he listed Wherupon thus he presumed to occupy both the regiments to chalenge all the whole dominion both of the East West church yea and all power to himself alone abiding none to be equal much lesse superior to him derogating from other and arrogating to himselfe their due right and honor setting at light Cesars kings and Emperours and who raigned but by his owne godamercy Bishops and Prelates as his vnderlings he kept in awe suspending and cursing chopping of their heads stirring vp strife and warres sowyng of discord making factions releasing othes defeating fidelitie and due allegeance of subiects to their princes Yea and if he had offended or iniured
perswaded perchance by Harding and afterward in the yere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Espek which builded an Abbey of the same order called Merinale In this order the monks did liue by the labour of their hands They paid no tithes nor offrings they weare no furre nor lyning they weare red shoes their coules white and coate blacke all shorne saue a little circle they eate no flesh but only in their iourney Of this order was Bernardus c. This Urbanus held diuers Councels one at Rome where he excommunicated all such lay persons as gaue inuestiture of any Ecclesiasticall benefice Also all such of the Clergy as abiected themselues to be vnderlings or seruants to lay persons for Ecclesiasticall benefices c. An other Councell he held at Cleremount in France Where among other things the bishop made an Oration to the Lords being there present concerning the voiage recouering of the holy land from the Turkes and Sarazens The cause of which voiage first sprang by one Peter a monke or Hermite who being in Ierusalem seing the great misery of the Christians vnder the Paganes made therof declaration to Pope Urbane was therin a great sollicitor to all christian Princes By reason whereof after the foresaid Oration of pope Urbane 30000. men takyng on them the signe of the crosse for their cognisaunce made preparation for that voiage whose Captains were Godfrey Duke of Loraine with his two brethren Eustace and Baldwine the bishop of Pody Bohemund duke of Puell and his nephew Tancredus Raymund Erle of S. Egidius Robert Erle of Flaunders and Hugh le Graund brother of Phillip the French king To whome also was ioyned Robert Courthoyle duke of Normandy with diuers other noble men with the foresayd Peter the Deremite who was the chiefe causer of that voiage At that tyme many of the sayd Noble men layed theyr lands lordships to morgage for to prouide for the forenamed voiage as Godfrey duke of Lorayne who sold the Dukedome of Boloine to the Bishop of Eburone for a great sumine of money Also Robert Courthoyse Duke of Normandy layd his Dukedome to pledge to his brother William king of England for x. thousand pounds c. Thus the Christians which passed first ouer Bosphorus hauing to their captaine Peter the Heremite a man perchance more deuout then expert to guide an army beyng trapped of their enemies were slaine murthered in great number among the Bulgars and nere to the towne called Ciuitus When the nobles and the whole army met together at Constantinople where Alexius was Emperour passing ouer by Hellespontus goyng to Ierusalem they tooke the cities of Nicea Eraclea Tarsis and subdued the country of Cicilia appointing the possession thereof to certayne of their Captaines Antioch was besieged and in the ix month of the siege it was yelded to the Christians by one Pyrrhus about which season were sought many strong battayles to the great slaughter and desolation of the Sarazens and not without losse of man◠Christian men The gouernance of this Citie was committed to Boamund Duke of Pucil whose martiall knighthood was often prooued in tyme of the siege thereof And not long after Corbona maister of the Persians Chiualry was vanquished and slayne with an hundreth thousand Infidels In which discomfiture were taken 15000. camels Ierusalem the 39. day of the siege was conquered by the Christians Robert Duke of Normandy was elect to be king therof But he refused hearing of the death of king William of Eng. wherfore he neuer sped in all his affaires well after the same Then Godfrey captaine of the christian army was proclaimed the first king of Ierusalem At the taking of the City was such a murder of men that bloud was congeled in the streete the thicknes of a foote Then after Godfrey raigned Baldwine his brother After hym Baldwine the second nephew Then Gaufridus duke of Gaunt and after him Gaufridus his sonne by whom many great battails there were fought against the Sarazens and all the countrey thereabout subdued saue Ascalon c. And thus much hetherto touching the voyage to the holy land Now to our owne land agayne About this tyme as Mathaeus Parisiensis writeth the kinge of England fauoured not much the sea of Rome because of their impudent and vnsatiable exactiōs which they required neither would he suffer any of his subiectes to go to Rome alleaging these wordes in the author thus expressed Quòd Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes non eius potestatem retinent cuius sanctitatem probantur non imitari that is because they follow not the steppes of Peter hunting for rewardes neither haue they the power and authoritie of him whose holinesse they declare themselues not to follow c. By the same Urbanus the seuen Houres whiche we call septem horas Canonicas were first instituted in the Church Item by this pope was decreed no bishop to be made but vnder the name and title of some certaine place Item that Martins and Houres of the day should euery day be sayd Also euery Saterday to be sayd the Masse of our Lady and all the Iewes Sabboth to be turned to the seruice of our Lady as in the Councell of Turon to the which seruice was appointed the Antheme Ora pro populo interueni pro clero intercede pro deuoto foemineo sexu Item all such of the clergy as had wyues to be depriued of their order Item to be lawfull for subiectes to breake theyr othe of allegeaunce with all such as were by the Pope excommunicate Item not to be lawfull both for husband and wyfe to christen one child both together with matters many moe By the same Pope thus many chapters stand written in the Canon law Dist. 7. Sanctorum dist 31. Eos qui 1. q. 1. Si qui dist 56 praesbyterorum 11. q. 3. quibus 15. q. 6. Iuratos 16. q. 7. congregatio 19 q. 2. Statuimus 23. q. 8. Tributum 30. q. 4. quod autem c. In the 6. yere of this kings raigne Malcoline king of Scots which foure times before had made great slaughter of old yong in the North partes as is before shewed braste into Northumberland with all the power he could make and there by the right iudgement of God was slain with his sonne Edward and also Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adeling aboue mynded a vertuous and deuout Lady within 3. dayes after The same yeare he gaue the Archbishoprike of Caunterbury after that he had detayned the same in hys owne bandes 4. yeares to Anselmus Abbot of Becke in Normandie This Anselme was an Italian in the Citie of Augusta borne and brought vp in the Abbey of Becke in Normandy where he was so straight a folower of vertue that as the story recordeth he wished rather to bee without
some they slew and some they left for dead There was amongst this number of the Iewes one which was called the blessed Iew of Yorke which was so fore wounded and beaten with the rest that for feare of his lyfe-he sayd he would become a christian and was in deed of Williā the Prior of the church of S. Mary of York baptised whereby he escaped the great perill of death he was in and the persecutors hands In the meane whyle there was a great tumor spred throughout all the City of London that the king had cōmaunded to destroy all the Iewes Whereupon as well the Citizens as innumerable people more being assembled to see the kings coronation armed themselues and came together The Iewes thus being for the most part stayn the rest fled into their houses where for a time through the strōg and sure building of them they were defēded But at length theyr houses were set on fire and they destroyed therein These thinges being declared to the king whilest he with his nobles and Barons were at dinner he sendeth immediately Ranulph de Glanuile the Lord high Stuard of England with diuers other noble men to accompany him that they might fray and restrayne these so bold enterprises of the Londiners but all was in vayne For in this so great a tumult none there was that either regarded what the nobility sayd or els any whit reuerēced theyr personages but rather with sterue looks and threatning wordes aduised them and that quickely to depart Whereupon they with good deliberation thinking it the best so to do departed the tumult and insurrection continuing till the next daye At which time also the king sending certayne of his officers into the Citty gaue them in commaundement to apprehend and present some such as were the chiefest of the malefactours of the which three were condemned to be hanged and so were The one for that he had robbed a Christiās house in this tumult and the other two for that they fired the houses to the greate daunger of the City After this the king sent for him that from a Iew was conuerted to Christiannitye and in the presēce of those that saw where he was baptised the king asked him whether he was become a Christian or not He aunswering the king sayd no but to the intent he might escape death he promised to do whatsoeuer the christians would haue him Then the king asked the Archbishop of Caunterbury other Archbishops and Byshoppes being present what were best to be done with him who vnaduisedly aunswering said If he will not be a man of God let him be a man of the deuill and so reuolted he agayne to Iewdaisme Then the king sent his writs to the shiriffes of euery country to enquire for the authors stirrers of this outrage Of whom 3 were hanged diuers were imprisoned So great was thē the hatred of Englishmen agaynst the Iewes that as soone as they began to be repulsed in the court the Londiners taking example thereof fell vpon them set theyr houses on fyre and spoyled theyr gooddes The country agayne following the example of the Londiners semblably did the like And thus the yeare which the Iewes tooke to be theyr Iubily was to them a yeare of confusion In so much as in the city of Yorke the Iewes obtayning the occupying of a certayne Castle for theyr preseruation and afterward not willing to restore it to the Christians agayne when they saw no other remedye but by force to be vanquished first they offered much mony for theyr liues when that would not be taken by the counsell of an olde Iew among them euery one with a sharpe razer cut an others throate whereby a thousand fiue hundred of them were at that present destroyd Neither was this plague of theyrs vndeserued For euerye yeare commonly theyr custome was to get some christen mans childe from the parentes and on good Fridaye to crucify him in despite of our religion Ex chron Westm. King Richard after the death of his father comming to remembraunce of himselfe and of his rebellion against hys father sought for absolution of his trespasse and in part of satisfaction for the same agreed with Phillipp the French King about Easter next ensuing to take his voyage with him for the recouerye of Christes patrimonye which they called the holy land Whereupon the sayd king Richard immediatly after his coronation to prepare him selfe the better toward his iourny set to sale diuers of his manors Wherof Godfrey Lucy then B. of Wint. bought a couple for 2. M. markes to witee Wergraue and Melenge The Abbot of Bury bought another for a M. markes called Middlesaie Hugh Pusaz B. of Durhā bought the Lordship of Seggesfield or Sedberga with the wapintake and all the appertenaunce thereto belonging He bought also the Earledome of Northumberland Whome When the king should solemnize after the maner of secular Earles merily with a mocking iest loe sayd he of an olde Byshop I haue made a young Earle And because the sayd Bishop had professed before by a solemme vow to visite the holy land to be released of his vow he compoūded with the Pope for a great summe of mony therefore and moreouer gaue to the King a thousand Marks to remayne at home as chiefe Iustice of England Ouer and besides the King set out all that he had to sale wooddes castles townships Lordships Earledoms Baronages c. ordayning also diuers new Byshops not without some aduantage as appeared to his purse fayning moreouer his olde seale to be lost that they which had landes to hold might be driuen to renew their writinges agayne by the new seale wherby great substaunce of mony was gayned Aboue all this by the commaundement of Pope Clement 3. a tenth also was enacted of the whole Realm in such sort as the Christians should make to the king 70000 pound the Iewes 6000. Ex Geruas fol. 134. King Richard after his coronation sent certayne Earles and Barons to Phillip the French King in the tyme of his parliament at S. Denis desiring him to remember his promise made for the recouery of Christes holy patrimony out of the saracens handes Unto whom he sent word agayne in the moneth of December certifying him how he had bound himself by solemne othe deposing vpon the Euangelists that he the next yeare following about the time of Easter had certaynly perfixed to addresse himselfe toward that iourney requiring him likewise not to fayle but to be redy at the terme aboue limitted appoynting also the place where both the Kinges should meet together The next yeare then ensued which was 1190 in the beginning of which yere vpon I welfe euen fel a foule northren brawle which turned welnere to a fray betweene the Archbyshop new elected of the Church of Yorke and his company on the one side and Henrye Deane of the sayd Church with his Catholicke partakers on
receiuing herof we shall appoint others to execute the same inioyning also your Suffraganes that as you shall shew your selfe disobedient and rebelling to vs so they all shall refuse likewise to geue any obedience or reuerence vnto you c. Geuen at Ferraria 5. non Octob. An other letter beside this the Pope also sent to the 3. Abbots aforesayd for the correction of these enormities Likewise an other letter was sent to king Henry 2. wherin the pope enioyneth and requireth him vpon remissiō of his sinnes not to dissemble and beare with the Archb. in his oppression of his Monks but to help those things to be amended where he hath trespassed agaynst them These pontificall letters were written an 1187. the 3. day of Octob. and in the 19. day after the same moneth the sayd pope Urbane died In the which yere and about the which month Baldwinus king of Ierusalem was taken with many noble men of Saladine the Saracen and Ierusalem lost after it had bene in the possession of the Christians and so continued the space of 88. yeres 80. dayes from the time that Godfridus Bolonius did first win it from the Infidels After the receiuing of those letters of pope Urbane aboue specified both the king and archb with all y◠bishops of y◠realme wer marueilously quailed glad now to please and speake fayre to the Monks promising al things to be done and restored to them aster the best sort Neither was the king now and Archb. so submisse but the Monkes on the other side were as brag and iocant being fully assured that all now was their own In the narratiō of which history as it is set in Geruasius at large this we haue to note by the way in what feare thraldome kings in those daies were vnder the Pope who could not be maisters ouer their owne subiectes but that euery pild Monke or pelting Prior vpon vertue of theyr appeale to the Court of Rome making theyr house tributary to the Pope was able not onely to match but to geue checkmate to the best king Christened as not in this story onely may appeare It followeth then in the story of these Monkes that as they were thus in the midst of theyr ioy and iolity sodenly commeth newes of the death of Pope Urbane their great Calypha and also how that Gregory 8. was placed in his roome who was a speciall frend fauourer of the archb which as it did greatly encourage the king and the Archb. so the Monkes on the other side were as much discomforted so that now all was turned vpside down For wheras the king and the archb before thought they had lost all were glad to compoūd with the monks and to seek their fauour now were the Monkes an the contrary side fayne to crouch to the king and glad to haue a good coūtenance who thē resorting to him and finding him altered both in word and gesture desired he would confirme graūt that which of late before he had promised To whom it was aūswered againe by the king that seing the archb had graūted to them their Sacrist their Chamberlain their Cellerar they should haue no more restored of him neither would he suffer the liberties and priuiledges of the archb to be empayred or take any wrong And as touching the new Chappell of S. Thomas sayd he whereaboutes ye striue so long with the Canonships and other buildings belonging thereto the same I receiue into my handes so that none shall haue any thing to doe therein but my selfe c. In like maner of the archb such an other like aūswere they receiued of the bishops little better So the monkes sent away with a flee in their eare went home agayne out of Normandy vnto their Celle Nowe the Archb. hauing the Monkes where as hee would wrought them much greuance but that continued not very long For within two monthes after lesse died pope Gregory 8. about the 16. day of December folowing After whom succeded Pope Clement 3. who folowing the steps of Urbane bent all hys power with the Monkes against the Archb. sending diuers precepts and mandates in the yere next following which was 1188. with an Imperious letter willing commanding him to desist from his oppression of the monkes to throw downe his new chappel Wherupon the archb made his appeale and minded to go to Rome but was called back of the king being ready to saile ouer In the which yere Honorius the prior died at Rome of the plague which was some help comfort to the archb For whom the archb made Roger Noris Prior against the wils of the Couent After this about the latter end of the same yere Pope Clement sent downe his Legate called Radulfus a Cardinal to Cant. with an other letter more sharpely written to the same effect vnto the Archb. Ex hist. Geruasij Furthermore in the yeare next after which was 1189. he wrote also the thirde letter to him In the which yeare also died king Henry 2. After whome succeeded king Richarde his sonne who ioyning likewise with the Archbyshop tooke his part strongly agaynst the sayde Monkes At last after much a do on both partes and after great disturbance and imprisoning diuers of the Monkes king Richard preparing his viage toward Ierusalem and studying first to set peace betwene them consulted and agreed with the Bishops and Abbots about a finall concorde in this matter betweene the Archb. and monkes of Cant. which at length on both partes was made vpon these cōuentions as follow 1. First that Roger Noris should be deposed whom the Archbishop had made Prior against their willes Whome the king then at the request of the Archb. promoted to be Abbot of Eusham 2. Item that the Archbishop shoulde plucke down his chappel which he builded in the suburbes of Cant. against the mindes of the Monkes 3. Item that the foresaid monks should make profession of their obedience and subiection to the Archb. as they had done to hys other predecessors before him 4. Itē as touching al other complaintes and iniuries except onely the Chappel and deposition of Roger Noris the Prior the monkes should stand to the arbitrement of the king of the Archb. and the Prelates 5. Item that the monkes kneeling downe before the king in the Chapter house should aske the Archb. forgeuenesse Which being done they went altogether to the Church sang Te Deum for this reformation of peace Ex veteri Chronico manuscripto ex Geruasio The next day after the Archb. comming into the Chapter restored to the Couent their manors farmes againe also discharged the Prior which he had made before desiring them likewise that if hee had offended them either in worde or deede they would from their heart remitte him This reconciliation being made betwene the Archb. and that couent then the Archb. going about to
Messana The second of October R. Richard wanne an other cercayne strong holde called Manasterium Griffonum situated in the midst of the Riuer of Del far betweene Messana and Calabria frō whence the Monkes beyng expulsed he reposed there all hys story and prouisiō of victuals which came from England or other places The Citizens of Messana seeing that the R. of England had won the Castle and Island in De la Bagmare and also the Monastery of the Griffones doubting lest the king would extēd his power farther to inuade their citie get if he could the whole Isle of Sicilia begā to stirre agaynst the kinges army and to shut the Englishe men out of the gates and kept ther walles agaynst them The Englishmen seing that made to the gates and by force would haue broken them open in so muche that the King riding among them with his staffe breaking diuers of their heads could not asswage their fiercenes Such was the rage of the Englishmen agaynst the Citizens of Messana The king seeing the fury of the people to be suche as he could not stay them tooke boate went to the Palace of K. Tancred to talk of the matter with the French king In which meane tyme the matter was so taken vp by the wise handling of the auncient of the citty that both partes laying downe their armour went home in peace The fourth day of the sayd month of October came to king Richard the archbishop of Messana with two other archbishops also with the French king and sondry other Earles Barons and Bishops for intreataunce of peace Who as they were together consulting had almost concluded vpō the peace the Cittizens of Messana issuing out of the towne some went vp vpon the mountaynes some with open force inuaded the mansion or lodging of Hugh Brunne an English captayn The noyse wherof cōming to the eares of the king he sodenly breaking of talke with the French king and the rest departed from them comming to his men commaunded thē forthwith to arme thē selues Who then with certayne of his souldiours making vp to the top of a mountayne which seemed to passe theyr power to clime there put the Citizens to flight chasing thē down the mountayn vnto the very gates of the Citie whom also certayne of the kinges seruauntes pursued within the Citty of whō fiue valiaunt souldiours and xx of the kings seruaunts were slayne the French king looking vpon and not once willing to rescue them contrary to his othe and league before made with the king of England For the French king with hys men being there present rode in the midst of them safely without any harme to and fro and might well haue eased the kinges party more then he if it had so liked him This beyng knowne to the English hoast how theyr fellowes were slayn and the Frenchmen permitted in the city that they were excluded the gates barred against them being also stopped frō buying of vittayle and other things they vpon great indignation gathered themselues in armes brast opē the gates and scaled the walles and so winning the Citty set vp their flagges with the Englishe armes vpon the walles Which when the French king did see he was mightely offended requiring the king of England that the armes of Fraūce might also be set vp ioyned with his But king Richard to that would in no case agree Notwithstanding to satisfie hys minde he was cōtented to take downe his armes and commit the custodie of the City to the Hospitallaries and Templaries of Hierusalem till the time that Tancrede king of Sicilia and he should agree together vpon conditions These thinges being done the v. vi day of October it followed thē vpō the viij day of the same month of October that peace among the kings was cōcluded In which peace first king Richard and Phillip the French king renewed agayne their othe and league before made concerning their mutuall ayd and society during the time of that peregrination Secondly peace also was concluded betweene king Richard and Tancred king of Cicilia aforesayd with the cōditions that the daughter of Tancreda in case King Richard should die without issue should mary to Arthure Duke of Britaine the kings nephew and next heyre to his crown c. whereof a formal charte was drawn and letters sent thereof to Pope Clement being dated the the ix day of Nouember In this meane time as these two kinges of Fraunce and England were thus wyntering at Messana Fredericke Emperor first of that name the same on whose neck Pope Alexander did treade in the Church of Uenice saying the verse of the Psalme Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis c. whereof read before pag. 205. and his sonne Conradus with a mighty army of Almanus and others were comming vp likewise toward the land of Hierusalē to the siege of Achon where by the way the good Emperour through a great mischaunce falling of his horse into a Riuer called Salef was therin drowned After whose decease Conradus his sonne taking the gouerment of hys army came to the siege of Achō in which siege also he died Upon whose comming such a dearth followed in the camp whiche lasted two monthes that a loafe of bread whiche before there cōming was sold for i. peny was afterwarde sold for iij. pound By reason whereof many Christiā souldiours did there perish through famine The chiefest foode which the princes there had to feede vpon was horse flesh This famine being so miserable some good bishops there were in the campe namely Hubert Bishop of Salisbury with certayne other good Byshops who making a generall collection through the whole campe for the poore made such prouision that in such penury of all things yet no mā was so destitute needy but somewhat he had for hys relief till within a fewe dayes after by the mercifull prouidence of God who is the feeder of all creatures shyppes came vnto them with a boūdance of corne wine and oyle The siege of this towne of Achon endured a long season which as it was mightely oppugned by the Christiās so it was strongly defended by the Saracens specially by helpe of wild fire which the Latines do call Ignem Graecū so that great slaughter there was on both sides During the tyme of which siege many noble personages also byshops died among whō was Conradus the Emperours sonne Rādulph Earle of Fougeres the Earle of Pericio Robert Earle of Leicester Baldwine archbishop of Canterbury with foure Archbishops and diuers other Byshops and Abbots and Earles and Barons to the nūber of 34. and not so few All this while king Richard King Phillip of Fraunce stil kept at Messana in Sicilia from the month of September till Aprill for lacke I suppose of wynde or weather or els for necessitie of repayryng their shyppes In which meane tyme king
the third day after he would sure geue battayle to king Richard But he preuenting hym before sodenly the same morning before the day of battayle should be setteth vppon the tentes of the Griffones early they being vnwares and a sleepe made of them a great slaughter in so much that the Emperour was fayne naked to run away leauing his tentes and pauilions to the English men ful of horses and rich treasure also with the Imperiall standard the lower part wherof with a costly stremer was couered and wrought al with gold King Richard then returning with victory and triumph to hys sister and Bernegera shortly after in the moneth of May next following and the 12. day of the sayd moneth maryed the sayd Bernegera daughter of Rācon king of Nauarre in the Isle of Cyprus at Lymeszen The king of Cyprus seeing himselfe ouermatched was driuen at length to yeld himselfe with conditions to geue king Richard xx thousand markes in golde for amendes of such spoyles as he had gottē of them that were drowned Also to restore all hys captiues agayne to the king And furthermore he in hys owne person to attende vpon the kyng to the land of Hierusalem in Gods seruice and hys with CCCC horsemen and v. hundreth footemen in pledge whereof he would geue to hys handes his Castles and hys onely daughter would hold his kingdome of hym This done and the Emperour swearing fidelitie to king Richard before Guido king of Ierusalem and the Prince of Antioche who were come thither to king Richard a little before peace was taken and Isakius committed to the warde of certaine keepers Notwithstanding shortly after he breaking from his keepers was agayne at defiance with the king Whereupon K. Richard besetting the Ileland of Cyprus round about with ships and Galleyes did in such sort preuayle that the subiectes of the land were constrayned to yeld themselues to the K. and at length the daughter also of the Emperour at last the Emperour hymselfe whom king Richard caused to be kept in fetters of siluer and gold and to be sent to the City of Tripolis These thinges thus done and all set in order touching the possession of the Isle of Cyprus the keeping whereof he committed to Radulfe sonne of Godfrey Lord Chamberlayne being then the first day of Iune vpon the v. of the sayd moneth king Richard departed from the Isle of Cyprus with hys ships and galleyes toward the siege of Achon on the next morow came to Tyrus where by procurement of the French K. he was constrained by the cititizens to enter The next day after which was the vi day of Iune crossing the Seas he mette with a great Barke fraught with souldiours and men of warre to the number of a thousand and fiue hundreth which pretendyng to be Frenchmē and setting forth their flagge with the Frenche armes were in deede Saracens secretly sent with wilde fire certayn barrelles of vnknowne serpentes to the defence of the town of Achon Which K. Richard at lēgth perceauing estsoones set vpō them and so vanquished them of whō the most were drowned some taken aliue Which beyng once known in the Citty of Achō as it was a great discomfort to them so it was a great helpe to the christians for winning the citty The next day after whiche was the vii of Iune Kyng Richard came to Achon which at that tyme had bene long besieged of the Christiās After whose cōming it was not long but the Pagans within the Citty seing their walles to be vndermined and towers ouerthrowne were driuen by cōmposition to escape with life lymme to surrender the Citty to the two kings An other great helpe to the Christians in winning the Cittye was this In the sayd Citty of Achon there was a secret Christian amōg the Saracens who in tyme of the siege there vsed at sondry tymes to cast ouer the walles into the camp of the Christians certayn billes writtē in Hebrue Greek and Latine wherin he disclosed to the Christians frō time to tyme the doynges and counsels of the enemies aduertising them how and what way they should work what to beware And alwayes his letters began thus In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti Amen By reason whereof the Christians were much aduantaged in their proceedings But this was a great heauines vnto them that neither he would vtter his name or when the Cittye was got they could euer vnderstand who he was Ex Chronico manuscripto De gestis Richardi To make of a long siege a short narration vpon the 12. day of Iuly the yeare aforesayd the Princes and captaines of the Paganes vpon agreement resorted to y◠tent of the Templaries and to common with the two kinges touching peace geuing vp of their city the forme of which peace was this That the kings should haue the city of Achon freely and fully deliuered to thē with all which was therin and fiue hundreth captiues of the Christiās shoulde be restored to them which were in Achon Also the holye Crosse should be to thē rendered and a thousand Christiā captiues with 2. hundreth horsemen whosoeuer they thē selues would chuse out of all thē which were in the power of Saledine Ouer and besides they shoulde geue to the kings 200. thousand Bysāts so that they thēselues would remayne as pledges in the kings hands for the performāce hereof that if in xl dayes these foresayd couenaunces were not accomplished they would abide the kings mercy touching life and limme These couenaunces being agreed vpon the kinges sent their souldiours and seruauntes into the City to take a C. of the richest and best of the City to close them vp in towers vnder strong keeping and the residue they cōmitted to be kept in homes and streetes ministring to them according to their necessities to whome notwithstanding this they permitted that so many of thē as would be baptised receuie the fayth of Christ shoulde be free to go whether they would Wherupon many there were of the Paganes which for feare of death pretēded to be baptised but afterward so soone as they could reuolted agayne to the Saladine For the which it was afterward commaunded by the kinges that none of thē should be baptised agaynst their willes The 13. day of the sayde month of Iuly King Phillip of Fraunce and king Richard after they had obtained the possession of Achon deuided betweene thē al things therin contayned as well the people as gold siluer with all other furniture what soeuer was remayning in the Citty who in deuiding the spoile were so good caruers to themselues that many Knightes and Barons with other souldiours who had there sustayned the whole trauaile 2. yeres together about the siege seing the kings to take all to thēselues and there part to be but little retracted themselues without the vttermost trench and there after consultation had
Lord. 1237. that Germanus Archb. and Patriarch of Constantinople wrote to the sayd Pope Gregory 9. humbly desiring him to study and seeke some meanes of vnity how the seamelesse coat of the Lord Iesus thus lamentably rent not with handes of soldiours but by discord of Prelates may be healed agayne offering this moreouer that if he will take the paines to stirre out he for his part notwithstanding his old age seeble body would not refuse to meet him in the mid way to y◠intent that the truth on both sides being debated by y◠scriptures the wrong part may be reduced the slaunder stopped and vnity reformed betwene them This request of the Patriarke as it was both godly reasonable so it had bene the bishops part again with like humility to haue condescended to the same and glad with all his might to helpe forward the reformation of christian vnity in the church of Christ and so to haue shewed himselfe the sonne of peace But the proud Byshop of Rome more like the sonne of discord and dissention standing still vpon his maiesty refused thus to do but writing agayne answere to his letters with great disdayne seking nothing els but only how to aduance his sea aboue all other churches and not onely that but also shortly after sēt forth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians no otherwise then against the Turkes Saracens In so much that in the Isle of Cyprus many good men and Martyrs were slayne for the same as by the letters of the said Germanus Patriarke of Constantinople is to be seene The tenour of the which letter to the Pope with the popes answere agayne to him being long and tedious to read are extant in the history of Math. Paris there to be sene and found fol. 111. The summary effect whereof notwithstanding I thought here briefly to notifye for the simple vnlearned multitude which vnderstanding not the Latine may hereby perceiue the fault of this schisme not so much to rest in the greek church as in the church of Rome as by the contents of his letter may appeare The effect of the Patriarch of Constantinople his letter to Pope Gregory 9. IN the which letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople writing to Pope Gregory first after his reuerend salutation and preamble following vpon the same entring thé toward the matter sheweth the occasion of his writing which was by 5. obseruaunt Friers repayring that wayes whom he gently receiuing into his house had conference with them touching this discord betwene the two Churches how it might be reduced again to vnity and afterward perceiuing the sayd Friers to make theyr iourney towardes to Rome he thought therefore by thē to write his letters Wherein he first lamenting this diuision in the house of God and reciting the inconueniences which come therof by the example of Iuda and Israel Ierusalem and Samaria Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob also of other such like both priuate publicke societies where brother sighteth agaynst brother like as among fishes the greater deuoureth the lesser he procedeth then further gently to exhort Pope Gregory to the study of vnity And for so much as the Pope had accursed belike those Churches of the Greekes before he therefore taking his groūd vpon the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 1. where he accurseth euery such person and persons whatsoeuer they be either man or Angell of heauen that shall preach any other Gospell then hath bene preached c. willeth the Pope to stand with him vpon the same ground of the Apostles accurse so that if the stroke of that curse haue light vpon him or his churches he desireth him to shew the wound and to helpe to wipe away the bloud to minister some spirituall emplaister to binde vp the sore and to saue his brethré from perishing which lay in daunger according to the saying of the wise man A brotherly frend is tried in aduersity c. But if we sayth he of the Greeke Church be free from the stripe of this accurse of the Apostle and that you Italians of the Latine Church be stricken therewith and lye thereby in daunger of destruction I trust that you through ignoraunce and wilfull obstinacy will not so suffer your selues to be separated from the Lord but rather will suffer a thousand deathes before if it were possible for a man so often to dye And as touching this great discord betwene vs if either cōtrarietie of doctrine or sweruing frō the ancient Canons or diuersity of rites receiued of our forefathers be any cause thereof we here take heauen and earth to witnesse that we for our partes are ready and desire also vpon due triall of profound trueth by Gods word and inuocation of the holy Ghost to ioyne hands with you or you to ioyne with vs. But to say the very trueth and to tell you playne this we suppose that many mighty and noble potentates would sooner encline to your obedience were it not that they feared your vniust oppressions your insatiable exactions and inordinate oppressions wherewith you wring your subiectes By reason whereof haue risen amongst vs cruell warres one fighting agaynst an other desolation of Cittyes Bulles and Interdictions set vpon Church dores diuision of brethren and Churches of the Grecians left without seruice where God should be praysed So that now onely one thing lacketh which I beleue to be predefined and appoynted from aboue long before to vs Grecians the time I meane of martirdome which also now hasteneth fast vpon vs that the tribunall of tyrauntes should be opened and the seats of torments be set that the bloud of Martyrs should be spilled we brought to the stage of Martyrdome to fight for the crowne of glory This that I doe speake and wherefore I speake it the noble Iland of Cyprus doth already know and feele which hath made many new Martyrs and hath seene valiaunt soldiours of Christ which of long time before passing by water and teares of sorow now at last haue also passed through fire and so entred into the heauenly rest How say you be these good and seemely O holye Pope the successor of S. Peter the Apostle Is this the bidding of that good Peter the meeke and humble disciple of Christ Doth he thus instruct the Seniors and Elders in his Epistle where he writeth in this wise The Elders which are amōgst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder with them and witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened feed the flocke of God which is amongest you hauing care sight ouer it not of a coaction as compelled agaynst your willes but willingly of your owne accord nor for filthy lukere sake but freely and hartily neither as bearing dominion and Lordship ouer the Church but shewing your selues as
He departed from thence to Brundusium committing the gouernment of his kingdome to Renaldus the sonne of Duke Spoletus and to Anselmus a Baron of Instigensis and came by sea to Cyprus with his hoste From Cyprus the Emperour with his whole nauy sayled into Ioppa which City he fortified for that the passages by land were stopped and kept of the enemies And by sea might he not passe nor trauaile by meanes of the extreme weather and tempest whereby it came to passe that within short space they lacked vitayles and were sore afflicted with famine TheÌ„ fell they to prayer and made their humble supplicatioÌ„ to God with whose teares his wrath being appealed the great tempest and long coÌ„tinued foule weather ceased whereby the seas now being calme they had both vitaile great pleÌ„ty and all other necessary things for their need brought vnto them wherby immediately it came to passe that both the Emperour his army as also the inhabitauntes of Ioppa were greatly refreshed and animated and on the other side their enemies being disappoynted of theyr purpose were greatly discouraged In so much that the king of Egipt who with great power accoÌ„panied with Scarapho his brother prince of Gaza and the Prince of Damascus their nephew with many other Dukes and nobles hauing incamped themselues within one dayes iourny of Ioppa thinking to haue besieged the same were contented vpon the comming of the Emperors Harolds vnto them to intreat of a peace Whereupon Embassadours were sent vnto them with the Emperours demaunds right profitable to the Christian common weale The Sarasens immediately consulting vpon the same graunted thereunto so that a peace for x. yeares was concluded was confirmed by solempne othe on the behalfe of both Princes according to their seueral vsages and maner the forme and condition of which peace briefly collected are these First that Fridericke the Emperour should be crowned and annoynted king of Ierusalem according to the maner of the kinges of Ierusalem before him Secondly that all the lands possessions which were situate betwixt Ierusalem and Prolomaida the greatest part of Palastina and Cities of Tyrus and Sydon which were in Syria and at other territories which Baldwinus the 4. at any time had and occupyed there shoulde be deliuered vnto him onely certayne castles reserued Thirdly that he might fortifie and builde what fortresses and castles he thought good citties and townes in all Syria and Palestina Fourthly that all the prisoners which were in the Saracens hands should be raunsomed freely and sent home and agayne that the Saracens might haue leaue without armour to come into the Temple where the Lords sepulcher is to pray and that they should holde and keepe still Chratum and the kinges mount Friderick now for that he thought the coÌ„clusion of this peace to be so necessary as also profitable for at Christians and had also gotten as much thereby as if the warres had continued he should he sent his Legates with letters into the west to all Christen kinges princes and potentates as also to the bishop of Rome declaring vnto them the circumstance and successe of his iourny and warres as partly ye haue heard Requiring theÌ„ that they also woulde praise and geue God thankes for his good successe and profitable peace concluded And desireth the Pope that for as much as he had now accoÌ„plished his promise neither that there was any cause now wherefore he should be with hym displeased that he might be reconciled and obtaine his fauor In the meane season the Emperour with all hys army marcheth to Ierusalem where vppon Easter day in the yeare of our Lorde 1229. hee was with great triumphe comfort of al his nobles and also the Magistrates of that kingdome onely the Patriarche of Cyprus the kings Legate and Oliuer the maister or captayne of the Temple with his company excepted solemnly and with great applause crowned king After this he rerdifieth the Citty and Walles thereof which by the Saracens were beaten downe and battered After that he furnisheth it with munition he buildeth vy the Churches and temples that were ruinous he fortifieth Nazarethum and Ioppen with strong garrisons vitaâ—e and all other thinges necessary Now see and behold I pray you whilest that Fredericke was thus occupyed in the kingdome of Ierusalem what practises the Pope had in Italy Not I warrant you any whit at all carefull in the affayres of the Christian commoÌ„wealth but studiyng and labouring what mischiefe and spite he might worke agaynst the Emperoure whom of a set purpose he had so occupied partly for hate and partly to enriche himselfe in Asia and Ierusalem so farre out of Italy ye may be sure First he caused the souldiours whiche the Emperour sent for out of Germany to the mayntenaunce of the holy warres to be stayde as they passed through Italy letting them of their iourney and tooke from them and spoyled them of all such prouision as they had And not onely this but he sent secretly also hys letters into Asia to those that were of his owne facâ—ion that is to the Patriarche of Ierusalem and souldiors that kept the temple and the hospitall intising and inciting theÌ„ to rebell agaynst the Emperour whiche thing Blondus himselfe that Popish Parasite or historiographer dissuâ—uleth or hideth not But that he furthermore disswaded the princes of the Saracens that they should make no league nor take any truce with Fridericke neither deliuer vp vnto hym the Crowne and Kingdome of Ierusalem Whiche letters as they were manifest testimonyes of his trecherie and treason towardes him whom God had instituted and made his liege Lord and soueraigne and mightiest potentate vpon earth so was it hys will that he should come to the knowledge therof and that those letters shoulde fall into his handes And that he kept the same letters for the more credible testimony thereof in the same his last Epistle vnto the Christian Princes he proresteth The copy of which letter amongest his other Epistles you shall haue expressed Neither were the Popes letters written to that leauened secte and factious in vayne For the Patriarche and his Collegioners which tooke their name of the Temple did mightely repugne agaynst Fredericke They raysed a tumult in Ptolomaida agaynst him they accused him and his Legates openly of treason and did malipartly boldly wtstand the right worthy and good order he made amongest them But as God would by the helpe of the inhabitantes of Pisa and the Genowayes and the Dutch souldiours both their false accusations were refelled and also their seditious purpose tumult expressed And thys was the cause that when all other men reioyced and were glad of the Emperours coronation they as wicked confederatours were heauy therefore and obtrectours of hys worthy laud and fame The Pope when he had thus conspired agaynst Fredericke and had betrayed him to the publicke enemy of all Christen men the Turke he coulde
his indeuour leuieth an army and prepareth his furniture and other necessaries for the deliuerie of the Christians so mightely oppressed as ye heard by the Turke or Tartarians Who hearing of the comming of the Emperour left the straight way thorough Hungarie whyche they came returned by the riuer of Danubium to Taurica and so through the fennes of Meotida and by the riuer Tanaum into Sarmatia Asiatica When the Cardinals had nowe a long time protracted the creation of the Pope and would not agree vpon the same The Emperor put them in remembrance of their duty and blameth them for their disagreeing and exhorteth them to be more carefull for the christian common wealth His 2. Epistles touching this matter are extant Wherby appeareth that only for the care and desire of peace he had to the christian vnitie and state he did the same and for that peraduenture the cardinals refused to make peace with him before they had created a newe Pope The one for more breuitie I haue omitted and here the other inserted An Epistle Inuectiue of the Emperour vnto the Cardinals for that they cannot agree vpon the creation of the Pope VNto you I write Oh you children of Ephraim which euill haue bent your bowes and worse haue shot your arrowes filthely turning your backes in the day of battaile Vnto you I speake O you children of Belial and disperpled flock You insensible people and assistents of the great iudge Vnto you I wryte O you diseÌ„tious Cardinals who the world for your deserts doth hate for whose causes the whole world being at variance is euill spoken of Doubtlesse I cannot speake vnto you but to your detractatioÌ„ because I am worldly and you spiritual I am vnperfect wherfore I must do as the vnperfect worlde doth neither can the parte be dissonant to the whole nor I contrary to my selfe that wryteth Attend ye therfore my rude Epistle wanting the dignity of Rhetoricall stile My prouoked tounge brasteth foorth into wordes before my conceiuing spirit hath deliuered the same and so not attending to the higher regiment hath hastened to expres my words not fully conceiued or premeditate Thus I say troubled minde oftentimes doth beget vnordered talke and vntimely vttereth the same This therfore is that our heart hath conceiued that we beleeue and all men confesse that Iesus Christ the mediatour betweene God and man which came from heauen to make peace vpon the earth is not deuided and at variaunce being also the maister and Lorde of the Apostles But Sathan being deuided in himselfe that blustering prince is amongest you as those to whome he ministreth He euen he the perswader of discorde and dissention that mankiller father of lies and spirite of darkenesse that hath deuided your tonges and set dissention amongst your selues Neither ye doe good one to another nor yet to the world being by you in so perillous a state brought And the little shippe of Peter which is tossed vppon the sea by vehement windes you nothing regarde which shippe though it neede not in deede vtterly to feare drowning yet suffereth it by your negligence many great stormes and perillous tempests Doubtlesse if yee woulde diligently consider howe the nations and people whome ye were wont to iudge in scorne shake their heades at you euery one of you would be ashamed of an other And to say the truth they can not doe too much to detect your so detestable opporobrie for whilest euery one of you aspireth to the chaire euery one is at variance with his fellowe and whilest one of you cannot agree with another none is promoted whilest none is promoted the Cathedrall dignitie vanisheth And thus by your discorde the peaceable state and concorde of the Churche is confounded and the perfection of the faith and Religion whereby yee should liue perisheth And surely through your default it perisheth so that where as nature hath placed the sense and vnderstanding to be that partly like a monster remaineth with you both senselesse and headlesse And no maruell for why your hearing is impaired and that sounde of the mouth that shrilly was heard throughout the whole earth is vtterly dombe and become a scoffing Eccho For why the toundâ—ings of Peter and Paule are now no more heard the Preachers are become dumme dogges and are commaunded to silence Perhappes you haue handes readie to receiue but there be no bribes For why those that were wont to come from Saba and bring golde with them nowe come no more seeing the Lord is not in the maunger and the celestiall shining starre refusing to be their guide Moreouer yee want feete to walke withal for seeing there is no man to geue you ought you will not remoue one foote for any mans pleasure Fie shamelesse people the least and simplest beast may learne you obedience for the birdes haue their Captaine and the sillie Bee their King but you will come vnder no gouernment c. The Emperour yet after thys at the request of Galdwinus the Emperour of Constantinople who came to Fredericus to Parma released the Cardinals out of pryson thinking thereby not onely to gratifie the Emperour Baldwinus but also thinking that therby things would haue the better growne to publique tranquillitie on euery side When the Cardinals were all assembled at Auignia they made Simbaldus a Genues Pope whome by a contrary name for that he had determined as I suppose to be hurtfull to the common wealth they called Innocentius the 4. Of which election when Fredericke vnderstoode be was well pleased therewith And for that he had in all this troublous time bene his friend he well hoped that the Christian common wealth should by him haue ben brought to much peace and coÌ„cord Wherfore he sent both his legates and letters gratulatorie vnto him letting him to vnderstand howe wel it contented and pleased him that he was made Pope what peace quietnes therby he promiseth as it were to himselfe he maketh full relation thereof offring againe vnto him obseruaunce helpe and aide in all things commeÌ„ding his dignitie to the publique state and quietnesse of the christian common weale and Empire c. Hee also wrote hys letters to Otho Duke of Boioria who a little before was reconciled to the Emperor that he which was elected pope was a good man a louer of peace and studious as well for the tranquilitie of the christian coÌ„mon wealth as of the Empire The Legates of Fredericke also with the furtherance of Baldwinus the Emperor of Constantinople laboured very diligently for the conclusion of the promised peace And to be briefe euery man was in good hope and looked for no lesse But farre otherwise fell the matter out and contrary to al their expectations For the Pope set on and incouraged by the Cardinals and other against Frederick secretly and amongst themselues wrought contrary to that they openly pretended and not a little disappoynted both Fredericke and others of
their expectation and good opinion they had in the Popes holines For whilest the Emperors legates atteÌ„ded the answer of their peace before promised Rainerus the cardinall went secretly to Uiterbium wyth a certen number of soldiors and toke the towne which before was on the Emperors part The Emperor hauing vnderstanding hereof mustereth his bandes and with a sufficient power entreth the popes dition againe to recouer Uiterbium But yet taking this war so in hand not thinking thereby to expel al conditions of peace at the request of certaine of the Cardinals was contented to leaue Uiterbium being furnished by the Emperor of warlicke prouision before and came to Aqua From thence he sent againe other ambassadors to Rome wyth them also the Emperor of CoÌ„stantinople with the Erle of Tholonse who he thought were able to do much with the pope in the prosecuting of this peace And although at the time of Easter the matter semed to haue ben through and peace concluded for that his legates had sworne in the behalfe of the Emperor and as he willed them that he wold submit him selfe to the Pope And againe for that the Cardinals and others coÌ„monly called named him Fridericus the Christian prince yet all this was no more but for a further fetch and purpose Not for that they ment in dede to coÌ„clude any peace with him or to go through there wtall but that through this dissimulation likelihood of peace which they vnderstoode the Emperor much desired he should set free open the passages which he straitly kept that no man could passe come to Rome whether a great multitude daily resorted flocked for religions sake But when all came to all that the Legates perceiued no conclusion of peace was simply purposed on their behalfe they began to dispaire of the matter letting the Emperor so to vnderstande The Emperor yet notwithstanding doubted not but if he might himselfe speake with the Pope he vpon reasonable conditions should wel enough accord with him wherfore he by his Legates and letters desired him to appoynt a place where the Emperor might resort to him The Pope seemed to be contented herewithall and appoynted a day at Fescennia where they would talke together that the Pope wâ—â—â— be there before him and accept the Emperours comming But the Pope in this while had made a confederacy with the French king against Fredericus who when he knew those 3. gallies to be ready and brought to Centincellas which he before had spoken for vnto the Genewes secretly in the night with his company hastening thether in post speede tooke ship and first came to Genua and from theÌ„re to Lions in Fraunce where he calling a Councel with a loude voyce summoneth Fredericke and appoynting him a day commanded him there personally to plead his cause And yet although he vnderstood the sodeine departing of him out of Italy made plaine demonstration of no conclusion or meaning of a peace and also knewe the Councel which the Pope had called wherein he was himselfe both plaintife and iudge and at the same councel those which he had by bribes allured preteÌ„ded the destruction of the Emperor with many other such euident demoÌ„strations both of his enuious hatefull heart to wardes him yet the most modest Emperor vsing the innocency vprightnes of his cause as one most desirous of peace and christian coÌ„cord sent the Patriarch of Antioch which lately was come out of Syria the B. of Panormia and Thadeus Suessanus the president of his court a most skilful and prudent Ciuilian to the councell at Lyons which signified vnto them the the Emperor would be there for the defence of his owne cause and for that the day was very short required a time more coÌ„uenieÌ„t for him thither to make his repaire The Emperor also being onward on his way come as farre as Taurinum sent before other messengers as the master of the Flemish order Peter de Vineis to geue them vnderstanding of the Emperors comming and that he wold proroge the day of hearing till that he might conueniently trauel thether â—â—â—for any thing that could be either sayd or done or vpon how iust cause so euer required the pope wold not geue so much as 3. dayes space in the which time the Embassadors assured them of the Emperours presence As though there had bene no common prouiso for euery man in that case by the lawe to haue vsed vppon any reasonable let What should I longer protract the time when the day by them appointed was come the Pope with his confederates whom for money bribes he had gotten to that councell against gods law against christian doctrine against both the prescript of the law of nature and reason against the rule of equitie against the order of law appoynted against the coÌ„stitutions of Emperors and also the decrees of the Empire without any obseruation of the law or graunting dilatory daies wtout probation of any crime or his cause suffered to be pleaded vnto or heard what might be answered therein taking vpon him to be both aduersarie iudge condeÌ„ned the Emperour being absent What more wicked sentence was euer pronounced what more crueller fact coÌ„sidering the persone might be committed Or what thing more brutish beastly could haue bene imagined or deuised And yet hereat were these by shops nothing ashamed but meaning to leaue their doings in wryting as an impudent testimonie to their posteritie established the same for a law to continue But marke what vengeance God toke vpon this wicked iudge The wryters of the Annales recorde that when Fredericus the Emperor and Conradus his sonne being Cesar were both dead the Pope gaping for the inheritaÌ„ce of Naples Sicile and thinking by force to haue subdued the same came to Naples with a great host of men where was heard in the Popes court manifestly pronounced this voyce Veni miser ad iudicium Dei Thou wretch come to receiue thy iudgemeÌ„t And the next day after the Pope was founde in his bed dead all blacke and blewe as though he had bene beaten with bats as before in the history of king Iohn is declared When the Emperor had vnderstanding of this cruell tyrannical sentence of the Pope passed and pronounced against him considering his furious purpose mind therin thought good by hys letters to let all christian princes potentates vnderstand as wel what iniuries manifolde displeasures hee had susteined by the 4. Popes in all theyr times as also the cruelty and tyranny of this Pope in pronouncing the sentence of iudgement and condemnation against him passing the bounds both of iustice equitie and reason which letter as he wrote the same here vnderfolloweth to be seene The letter of the Emperour to the French King and other Princes for the sentence geuen against him in the councel of Lyons by the Pope and Cardinals ALthough we suppose not the
1255. in the month of August Ex Gualt Gisburn At length the childe being sought found by the mother being cast in a pit 32. of those abhominable Iewes were put to executioÌ„ wherof Mathew Paris reciteth a long storie The same or like fact was also intended by the like Iewes at Norwich 20. yeres before vpon a certaine childe whom they had first circumcised deteined a whole yere in custodie intending to crucifie him for the which the Iewes were sent vp to the tower of LoÌ„don of whom 18. were hanged the rest remained long in prison Ex Cestrens lib. 7. Of this wicked Iewish people I find also in the boke of Flor. hist. that about this yere of our Lord 1255. they began first to be expelled out of Fraunce by the commaundement of the French king being then in Palestina warring against the Turkes By the occasion that it was obiected then by the Turke against him and other Christian princes for the reteining the Iewes amoÌ„gst theÌ„ which did crucify our sauiour and warring agaynst them which did not crucifye him Ex Flor. Hist Of these Iewes moreouer king Henry the same yere 1255. exacted to be geuen vnto him 8000. markes in paine of hanging Who being much agreued therwith complayning that the king went about their destruction desired leaue to be geuen theÌ„ of the king that they might depart the realm neuer to returne agayne But the king committed the doing of that matter vnto Earle Richard his brother to enforce them to pay the mony whether they would or no. Moreouer of the same Iewes mention is made in the story intituled EulogiuÌ„ Of the Iewes in Northhampton who had amoÌ„g theÌ„selues prepared wilde fire to burn the city of LondoÌ„ For the which diuers of theÌ„ were takeÌ„ burned in the time of Lent in the said city of NorthhamptoÌ„ which was 2. yeres before about the yere of our Lord. 1253. Ex Eulogio And for so much as mention here is made of the Iewes I cannot omit what some English storyes write of a certaine Iew who not long after this time about the yeare of our Lord. 1257. fell into a priuy at â—uekesbury vpon a Sabboth day which for the great reuerence he had to his holy Sabboth would not suffer himselfe to be plucked out And so Lord Richarde Earle of Glocester hearing thereof would not suffer him to be drawne out on sonday for reuerence of the holy day And thus the wretched superstitious Iew remaining there till Monday was found dead in the dong And to note the blinde superstitioÌ„ of that time not only among the Iewes but also among the christians to omit diuers other storyes as of Walter Gray Archbish. of Yorke who comming vp to the ParliameÌ„t at LondoÌ„ an 1255. with vnordinate fasting did so ouercharge nature pyned himselfe as the story meÌ„tioneth did so drye vp hys braine that he losing therby all appetite of stomack going to Fulham there within 3. dayes died as in the compiler of Flor. Hist. is both storyed and reprehended Let this also be adioyned which the forenamed author and in the same yere is recorded of one named Peter Chaceporce who diyng in FrauÌ„ce an 1255. left in bequest of his testameÌ„t 600. marks for lands to be purchased to the house of MertoÌ„ for God to be serued there perpetually pro anima eius omnium fideliuÌ„ i for his soules health and all faythfull soules As who would say Christian fayth were not the ordinary meanes sufficient to saluation of faythfull soules without the quire seruice of the Monkes of Merton Ye haue heard it often complained before how the vsurped power of the Pope hath violeÌ„tly and presumptuously encroched vpon the Church of England in geuing conferring benefices and prebends to his Italians and strangers to the great damage and ruine of Christes flock manifold waies This violent iniury oppression of the Pope as by no lawfull and gentle meanes could be reformed so by occasion meanes inordinate about this time it began somwhat to be brideled The matter whereof was this as it is in the collector of Flor. Hist. recited In the dayes of the raigne of this king 44. The Byshop of London named Fulco had geuen a certaine prebende in the Church of S. Paul to one master Rustandus the Popes messenger heere in Englande Who entring into the profession of the graâ—e friers shortly after dying on the other side of the sea the Pope immediatly conferred the sayd prebend to one of his specials a like straunger as the other was before About the same instant it befel that the bishop also of London deceased wherby the byshoprick now vacant fell into the kings handes Who hearing of the death of the forenamed Rustandus gaue the sayd prebendship geuen of the Pope before to one Iohn Crakehale his vnder treasurer Who with all solemnitie tooke his installation vnknowing as yet that it was bestowed of the Pope before It was not loÌ„g after as time grew but this being noised at Rome forthwith commeth downe a certaine Proctor named Iohn Gras wyth the Popes embulled letters to receaue the collation of the benefice by his commission procuratory geuen by the Pope wherin Iohn Crakehale had bene already installed as is aforesaide by the kings donation This matter comming in trauise before Boniface Archbishop of Cant. hee inquiring and searching which donation was the first finding the popes graunt to be the former gaue sentence with him against the king so that in conclusion the Romane clearke had the aduauntage of the benefice although the other had long enioyed the possession therof before Thus the popes man being preferred and the Englishman excluded after the partie had bene inuested stalled after the vse and maner hee as thinking to be in sure possession of his place attempted with the rest to enter the Chapter house but was not permitted so to do wherupon the popes clerke geuing place to force and number went toward the archbishop to complaine This being knowne certaine recluses pursued him and so being compassed about one in the thicknesse of the throng being neuer after knowne sodenly rushing vpon him a â—itle aboue his eies so pareth of his head yâ— he fell downe dead The same also was done to an other of his felowes in fleing away This hainous murder being famed abroad strait inquirie therof was made but the deede doer could not be knowen Although great suspition was laide vpon Crakhale the kings Chaplein yet no proofe could be brought But moste men thought yâ— bloudy fact to be done by certaine ruffians or other light persons about the City or the Court disdaining belike that the Romanes were so enriched wyth Englishmens liuings by whome neyther came relief to any Englishman nor any godly instruction to the flocke of Christ. And therefore because they sawe the Church and realme of England in such subiection and
them at some straight or other aduauntage were by the Prince premonished thereof and returning agayn vpon them gaue a charge and slew many of them and the rest they put to flight After this about Midsomer when the Prince had vnderstāding that the Saracens began to gather at Cakhow which was 40. myles from Acra he marching thether set vpō them very early in the morning and slue of them more then a 1000. the rest he put to flight and tooke riche spoyles marching forward till they came to a Castle named Castrum Peregrinorum situate vpon the Sea cost and taried there that night the next day they returned toward Acra In the meane season the king of Ierusalem sent vnto the noble men of Cypres desiring them with speede that they would come and ayde the Christians but they would not come saying they would keepe their own land and go no further Then Prince Edward sent vnto them desiring that at his request they would come ioyne in ayd with him Who immediately thereupon came vnto him with great preparation and furniture for the warres saying that at hys commaundement they were bounde to do no lesse for that his predecessors were sometimes that gouernors of their lande that they ought alwaies to shewe their fidelitie to the kings of England Then the Christians being herew t animated made a third voiage or Rode and came as farre as the fort called Vincula S. Petri and to S. Georges and when they had slayne certayne there not finding any to make resistance agaynst them they retyred agayne from whence they came When thus the fame of prince Edward grew amongst hys enemies and that they began to stand in doubt of him they deuised amongest themselues howe by some pollicie they might circumuent him and betray him Whereupon the great Prince and Admirall of Ioppa sent vnto hym sayning himselfe vnder great deceit to become a Christian and that he would draw with hym a great number besides so that they might be honorably entertayned vsed of the Christians This talke pleased the Prince well and perswaded him to finish the thing he had so well begonne by writing agayne who also by the same messenger sent and wrote backe vnto him diuers tymes about the same matter whereby no mistrust shoulde spring This messenger sayth myne autor was one ex cautè nutritis one of the slony harted that neither feared God nor dreaded death The fift tyme when this messenger came and was of the Princes seruauntes searched according to the maner and custome what weapon and armour he had about him as also his purse that not so much as a knife could be founde about him he was had vp into the Princes chamber and after hys reuerence done he pulled out certayne letters which he deliuered to the Prince from his Lord as he had done others before This was about eight dayes after whitsontide vpon a Teusday somewhat before night at which time the Prince was laid vpon his bed bare headed in his Ierkin for the great heat and intemperature of the weather When the Prince had red the letters it appeared by thē that vpon the Saterday next following his Lord woulde be there ready to accomplishe all that he had written and promised The report of these newes by the prince to the standers by liked them well drawing some what backe to consult thereof amongest themselues In the meane tyme the messenger kneeling making his obersance to the Prince questioning further with him put his hand to the belt as though he would haue pulled out some secret letters sodenly he pulled out an inuenomed knife thinking to haue stroken hym into the belly therew t as he lay But y◠Prince lifting vp his hand to defend the blow was striken a great woūd into that arm And being about to fetch an other stroke at him the prince agayn with his foote tooke hym suche a blow that he feld him to the ground with that the prince gat him by the hand and with such violence wrasted the knife from him that he hurt himself therwith on the forehead and immediately thrust the same into the belly of the messenger and striker and slue him The Princes seruauntes being in the next chamber not farre of hearing the bulkling came with great hast rūning in and finding the messenger lying dead in the floure one of them tooke vp a stoole and bet out his braynes wherat the Prince was wroth for that he stroke a dead man and one that was killed before The rumour hereof as it was straunge so it soone went throughout all the Court and from thence amongst the common people wherefore they were very heauy and greatly discouraged To him came also the Captayne of the Temple brought him a costly and precious drinke agaynst poyson least the venim of the knife shoulde penetrate the liuely bloud and in blaming wise sayde vnto hym Did I not shewe your grace before of the deceipt subtiltie of this people Notwithstanding sayth he let your grace take a good hart you shall not die of this wound my life for yours But straight wayes the surgions phisitiōs were sent for and the prince was dressed and within few dayes after the wound began to putrifie and the flesh to looke dead and blacke wherupon they that were about the prince began to mutter amongest thēselues and were very sad and heauy Which thinge he himselfe perceauing sayd vnto them why mutter you thus amongest yourselues What see you in me can I not be healed Tell me the truth be ye not afrayd Whereupon one said vnto him and like your grace you may be healed we mistrust it not but yet it will be very paynefull for you to suffer May suffering sayth he again restore health Yea sayth the other on payne of loosing my head Then sayd the Prince I commit my selfe to you doe with me what you thinke good Then said one of the Phisitions is there any of your Nobles in whome your grace reposeth speciall trust To whome the Prince aunswered yea namyng certayne of the Noble men that stoode about him Then sayd the Phisition to the two whome the Prince first named the Lord Edmund and the Lord Iohn Uoysie And doe you also faythfully loue your Lord and Prince Who aunswered both yea vndoubted Then sayth he take ye away this Gentlewoman and Lady meaning hys wife let her not see her Lord and husband till such a time I will you thereunto Whereupon they tooke her out of the princes presence crying out and wringing her hands Thē said they vnto her be ye contented good Lady Madame It is better that one woman should weepe a little while then that all the realme of England shoulde weepe a great season Then on the morow they cut out all the dead and inuenemed flesh out of the Princes arme and threw it from them and sayd vnto him how chereth your grace we promise
the church with very good reason doth receiue And that to the great merite both of the geuer and offerer as it appeareth of Constantine and others In the which foresayd 1. cap. the reason of diuersity is well proued For that the Apostles did foresee that the Church should be among Gentiles and not onely to be in Iuda c. And further at the beginning Christ and his Apostles were wholy bent and geuen to our health saluation crudition litle sticking or standing vpō the exercise of euery churches iurisdiction hauing regard to that which is written in the 6. chapter to the Corinthians All thinges are lawfull vnto men but all things are not expedient And likewise in the 8. chapter of Ecclesiastes it is read that euerye thing hath his time But now through the grace of God the whole people of the realme of Fraunce haue submitted themselues to the christian fayth worthely therefore the Church is occupyed about ministring of Iustice and punishing of vice For peace shal be the work of Iustice Esay the 33. chap. And in these iudgements this onely is to be considered that the life of man be reformed c. Thus you see how this our conclusion somewhat is confirmed by the Scriptures Now will I proue it by naturall law reason first after this maner He seemeth most fittest to play a good iudges part which followeth nerest God For properly God is the ruler and directer of al iudgements who sayth Prouerb capite octauo By me the law maker shall decree iustice and iust thinges But Ecclesiasticall persons follow next to God and be neerest him For that they be elected of God into a peculiar people Whereof it is sayd 1. Peter 2. you are a chosen generation a royall priesthood a holy nation and a peculiar people that you should shew the vertues of him that called you c. Ergo it is most fittest that persons Ecclesiasticall and churchmen should iudge of such matters Moreouer none doubteth but that the correction and punishment of sinne belongeth to ecclesiasticall persons wherfore whē such things be not committed without sinne offence of the one party it is euident that the Church may haue cognition thereof Also who so hath power to iudge of the end hath also power to iudge of thinges ordeined to the end for the consideration of the thinges ordeined to the end riseth of the end When therefore the body is ordeined for the life and soule and tēporall thinges for spirituall as to the end The Church which doth iudge of spirituall things may in like maner lawfully iudge of tēporall things All which is sufficiently confirmed In extra c. Iudicijs Where it is sayd that the Accessarye followeth the nature of the principall which appeareth sufficiently by example For so much therfore as these two iurisdictions be compared to two lightes that is to say to the Sunne and to the Moone and all the whole clearenes and brightnesse of the Moon both in forme and vertue dependeth of the Sunne in the Sunne And that the brightnes of the Sunne is not of the Moone or in the Moone it is playne that spirituall iurisdiction which is compared to the Sunne hath it both in forme vertue the iurisdiction temporall and not contrary Many other like reasōs might be brought in But for that the time waxeth short I will omit them Thirdly I proue by the ciuill law Auth. Diffe Iud. ¶ Si tamen ix col where it is sayd If a secular iudge be suspected let the Bishop of the Citty be ioyned vnto him But if he be negligent then let the whole iudgement be referred to the bishop In like sort Theodosius the Emperor enacted such a law that whosoeuer suter being plaintife in any kinde of matter whether at the beginning thereof or after contestation of law or when the matter came to confirmatiō or to sentēce If the plaintife had once chosen the court iurisdiction the holy sec there without all doubt though the defendant resisted and dissented the matter before the bishops other ecclesiastical Iudges should be determined and ended Which law afteward Carolus the great who was king of Fraūce confirmed in these words We will commaund that all our subiectes as well Romaines and Frenchmen as others vnder our dominion whatsoeuer be by law and custome henceforth bound and charged to keepe this for a perpetuall and prescript law That whosoeuer began or commenced a sute c. as is aboue mentioned c. 11. q. i. Quicunque c. 2. But that you may obiect and say that this law is abrogated as the glose seemeth there to touche But all will not serue For although this law is not redacted into the body of the law yet for al that it is not abrogated But surely it is a priuiledge honorably graunted to the whole vniuersall church which the Emperor cannot take away no more then any other liberty of the Church By the canō law also this priuiledge is confirmed extra de iud c. timor Nouil and moreouer seemeth to be confirmed by the ciuill law C. de sacros Si eccl priuilegium although it be not expressely but generally named And so it is cleare by the ciuill law that such iurisdictiū doth pertain to Ecclesiastical persōs By canon law in like maner in places infinit Dist. 22. cap. Omnes Patriarchae 2. quest 5. ca. Si quis praesbyter 11. quae 1. cap relatum 25. distinct cap. ecce Extra de iudicijs Nouit De competenti foro cap. licet With many other places infinite yea further the canon law so farre proceedeth that whosoeuer goeth about by custom to interrupt or hinder any hauing such iurisdiction encurreth sentence ipso facto of excommunicatiō as is proued cap. quoniam intelleximus de immunitate eccl li. sext Which is most playne by the notorious custome time out of mind in the dayes of the good christian Princes where to violate such custome it is playne sacriledge 11. quest 1. tit 1. c. 2. For by law custome winneth and gaineth iurisdiction especially to him that is Capax thereof yea and further custome time out of mind is amongst all persons in place of written confirmed law Now seing the church of Fraūce hath in common vsed with the temporalty to iudge decree both of actions personall and reall touching the Church it is playne that such custome winneth iurisdiction to it Ergo. c. But the Lord Peter auouched that the custome could not preuayle in this case because here lacked true dealing Besids the said law is called inprescriptible for that it is Ius fisci But this maketh nothing agaynst vs. For the Church of Fraunce rather chalengeth this law by custome then by prescription Which custom semeth rather to be brought in of the free will and election of the people frequēting more the ecclesiasticall Consistories then the secular courts Besides this custome in that it hath bene oftentimes
Beware therefore most noble Prince and take heede that in your daies and time the liberties of the church be not taken away which God forbid or diminished in any iote For if your glorious name shoulde be blotted therw t there be thousands which would chronicle the same to perpetuall memory Wherefore most Christian Prince if such as trusted after their death for no other life but only for fame renowne liued a life most godly vertuous how much more ought we Christians which looke after another life by our wel doings here to win vs a perpetuall name memory after our death And you besides if you shuld dishonor your name and fame what a matter were it considering how the kings of Fraunce were euer counted the most christian princes and most bountiful towards the church geuing examples to other princes how to enrich their churches liberties thereof And now especially if your grace the church in some places being in great persecution which God forbid should shew light to other to pul and take away that whych was geuen by your forefathers to the church What might the world say For then by the like reason might the Emperor depriue the Church of all which was giueÌ„ to it by Constantine the Emperor Also other kings would do the like in their Realme God forbid that your highnes shuld geue such example And for my parte I woulde rather wish my selfe to be deade then geue you such counsel that in so pernitious and naughty a matter you shoulde be example to other Especially when the kings of France your predecessors were defenders alwaies against such yâ— went about to take away the liberties from the church which is the office of a king Ieronymus sayth vpon Ieremy which is fouÌ„d also in the 24. quaest 5. cap. Regnum C. Princeps After this maner let the princes of the world know and vnderstand how they are bouÌ„d to make an accoÌ„pt to God for the Church which they take vpon them to keepe Note you also read some examples out of stories commentaries what regarde the kings of France had in obseruing those things and see you by theâ—r example to follow and do the like And then shall it be verified in your grace which is wrytten in the 37. chapter of Eccle. A wise man shall obtaine honour amongst his people As also in the 3. of the same He that honoreth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure together Fourthly I say that he in deede doth honor the King which perswadeth hym to do that whereby his conscience is not hurt For aboue all things a Christen man ought to beware howe to doe that thing which should be a grudge vnto his conscience because the life is more then is meate Mat. the 6. chap. And assuredly I beleeue that your grace wold not commit that thing willingly wherw t your conscience shuld be burdened for all the worlds good and that iustly For the more miraculously God hath called your highnes to the state of a King and hath indued you with hys grace So much the more you ought to haue and take hede that you offende him not For it is to be doubted whether in doing the coÌ„trary he will not be the more greuously displeased with you as hee was with Saule 1. Reg. chap. 15. Consider therefore most soueraigne Lorde yâ— at what time you were crowned you sware only these things folowing no other First that you would defend and maintaine the canonicall law priuilege and iustice graunted to the Byshops and the church and as much as in you did lie to enlarge and amplify the same Also that by your arbitreâ—â—t all christian people at all times should keepe the true peace of God his church Also that you should forbid to all nations al kind of sacrileges spoylings and iniquities Also that in all kinde of iudgements you should will and command equity and mercy Also that throughout your whole territory and iurisdiction you shuld sincerely withal your indeuour study to exterminate cut off from the Church the noted heretikes which all and no other your Maiestie sware to fulfill at the time of your Coronation vnder the leaue correction of the Lorde Peter which affirmed you were sworne to none other thing besides Now therefore seing it is a canonical priuilege of the church in the heart of the whole Cano. 6. qu. 1. Quicunque litem habens incorporate when also by custome which is canonicall it came in â— that the Church and spiritualtie may haue cognition in a number of cases against which diuers articles haue bene here layde in If this amongst the laitie should not be obserued in the Church your graces conscience therby might somewhat be burdened In like maner if you be bound with all your whole might and power to procure that al whole Christendome should keepe the true peace of God and his church much more haue you to procure the same amongst your owne Barons people who euermore were all one with the Church And alwayes where any church was in honor and estimation there were belonging to it 20. shoâ—t Barons knightes whose office as it was to defend the Church so was it the part of the Church to pray for them to offer sacrifice for them vnto God And to this end that blessed S. Lewes so much laboured in his time who wheÌ„ the greatest Barons of his realme had confederate to suppresse these liberties of the Church had consulted to geue him to that ende the hundreth part of their goods would neuer condescend therunto but alwais dissuaded theÌ„ therfro and finally by his authoritie sealed and coÌ„firmed these liberties of the Church Consider here your maiestie how that pope InnoceÌ„tius at that time proceded against those Barons c. I dare be bold to say that if there should be now dissention betwene the Prelates and Barons it wold not be long before the comminalty would vsurpe to rule and beare domination As by experience it hath bene seene in many places likewise by practise we of late myght haue sene at what time the people stomaking the spiritualtie in the parties of Campania and Burgundie at last rose and made in euery towne a king and therwtall caused the officers which brought citations absolutions from the pope and other to be well banged and not long after made insurrection against the Lords temporal and serued them with the like sauce vntill that by the kings power they were suppressed many of them hanged And this doubtles was in the daies of Lewis last king of that name Truely the noble men ought not to be griued with that that the Church is possessed wtal For that there be few of them who haue not their brothers and kinsfolkes which liueth and are maintained by the goods and reuenues of the Church Amongst whome if they should deuide their inheritance perhappes they would bring a
Sigillo all or any of which wordes being vtterly wanting in this place as may be seene in the kinges Recordes of that time it must therfore be done eyther by warrant of this foresayd Statute or els without any warrant at all Whereupon it is to be noted that wheras the said Statute appointed the commissions to be directed to the Sheriffe or other ministers of the kings or to other sufficient persons learned for the aresting of suche persons the sayd commissions are directed to the Archbishop and his Suffragans being as it appeareth parties in the case autorising theÌ„ further without either the wordes or reasonable meaning of the sayde Statute to imprison them in their owne houses or where els pleased them Besides also what maner of law this was by whome deuised and by what authoritie the same was first made and established iudge by that that followeth Viz. In the Utas of S. Michell next following at a parliament summoned and holden at Westminster the sixt yeare of the said king among sondry petitions made to the king by his commons whereunto he assented there is one in this forme Articl 52. Item prayen the commons that wheras an Estatute was made the last parliament in these wordes It is ordayned in this present Parliament that commissions from the king be directed to the Sheriâ—fes and other ministers of the king or to other sufficient persons skilfull and according to the certificates of the Prelates thereof to be made vnto the Chauncerie from time to time to arest all suche preachers theyr fautoures maintenors and abbettours And them to deteine in strong prison vntill they will iustifie themselues according to reasoÌ„ law of holy church And the king willeth and commaundeth that the Chauncellor make such commissions at all times as shal be by the prelates or any of them certified and thereof required as is aforesayd The which was neuer agreed nor graunted by the commens but what soeuer was moued therein was without their assent That the said statute be therfore disanulled For it is not any wise their meaning that either theÌ„selues or such as shal succeed theÌ„ shal be further iustified or bound by the Prelates then were their ancesters in former times whereunto is answered il plâ—ist aa Roy. 1. the king is pleased Hereby notwithstanding the former vniust lawe of Anno. 5. was repealed and the fraude of the framers therof sufficiently discouered yet such meanes was there made by the prelates that this acte of Repeale was neuer published nor euer fithence imprinted with the rest of the statutes of that Parliament In so much as the sayd Repeale being concealed like commissions and other proces were made from time to time by vertue of the sayd Basterd statute aswel during al the raign of this king as euer sithence against the professors of religion As shall hereafter by the grace of God appeare in the second yeare of king Henry the fourth where the Clergy pursued the like practise And now againe to the story of our Oxford Diuines and of the Archbishop to whom the king writeth his letters patents first to the Archbishop then to the Uicechauncellor of Oxford in forme as followeth The kinges letters patentes to the Archbishop RIchard by the grace of God king of England and Lord of Ireland To all those to whome these present letters shall come greeting By the petition of the reuerend â—ather in God William Archb. of Caunterbury Primate of England exhibited vnto vs we right well vnderstand That diuers and sondry conclusions very contrary to wholesome doctrine and redounding both to the subuersion of the Catholike fayth the holy Church and his prouince of Cant. in diuers and sundry places of the same of his prouince haue bene openly and publiquely preached although damnably preached Of the which conclusions some as heresies other some as errours haue bene condemned but not before good and mature deliberation first therein had and vsed and by common counsaile of the said Archbishop his suffragans and many doctors in diuinitie and other clerkes and learned men in the holy Scriptures were sententially and holesomely declared Whereupon the sayd Archbishop hath made his supplication vnto vs that both for the coertion and due castigation of such as shall henceforth of an obstinate minde preach or mayntaine the foresaid conclusions that we would vouchsafe to put to the arme and helping hand of our kingly power We therefore moued by the zeale of the catholicke faith whereof we be and will be defendours and vnwilling that any such heresies or errours shoulde spring vp within the limites of our dominion Geue and graunt speciall licence and authoritie by the tenour of these presentes vnto the foresayd Archbishop and to his Suffraganes to arest and imprison either in their owne prisons or any other all and euery such person and persons as shall either priuely or apertly preach and mayntayne the foresayd conclusions so condemned and the same persons so imprisoned there at their pleasures to detayne till such time as they shall repent them and amend them of suche hereticall prauities or els shall be of suche arestes by vs and our counsaile otherwise determined and prouided Further charging and commaunding all and singuler our liegemen ministers and subiectes of what state and condition so euer they be vpon their fidelitie allegeance wherin they stand bound to vs that by no meanes they eyther fauour counsayle or helpe the preachers or els mayntayners of the sayde conclusions so condemned or their fauourers vpon payn and forfaiture of all that euer they haue But that they obey and humbly attend vpon the said Archbishop his Suffraganes and ministers in the execution of these presentes so that due and manifest publication agaynst the foresaid conclusions and their mayntayners without any perturbation may be done and executed as for the defence of our Realme and catholike fayth shal be thought most meete and requisite In witnesse wherof we haue caused these our letters patentes to be made Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the 16. day of Iune and 6. yeare of our reigne * The kinges letters patentes to the Uicechauncellour THe king To the Chauncellour and the procuratours of the vniuersitie of Oxford which now be or for the time being shall be Greeting Moued by the zeale of christian fayth where of we be and alwayes will be defenders and for our soules health induced thereunto hauing a great desire to represse and by condigne punishmeÌ„t to restraine the impugners of the foresaid fayth which newly and wickedly go about and presume to sow their naughty and peruerse doctrine within our kingdome of England and to preach and hold damnable conclusions so notoriously repugnant and contrary to the same faith to the peruerting of our subiectes and people as we vnderstand Before they any further proceed in their malicious errours or els infect others We haue by these presentes appoynted you to be inquisitour generall all
the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the
and sanctuary shal a people with their Captain that shal come with them destroy whose end shal be vtter desolation and after the end of the war a determined destruction Now he shall in one weeke confirme his couenaunt towardes many and in the halfe weke shal the offring and sacrifice cease and in the temple shall there be an abhomination of desolation and euē to the fulfilling vp of all and to the end shal the desolation continue It is plaine manifest that this prophecy is now fulfilled For the people of Rome with their Captaine destroyed Ierusalem euen to the grounde and the people of the Iewes was slayne and scattered And the abhomination that is the Idol of desolation was placed of Adrian in the last destruction in Ierusalem in the holy place that is to say in a place of the tēple And from that time hetherto haue passed neare about 1290. dayes taking a day for a yeare as Daniel takes it in hys prophecies and other prophets likewise For Daniel speaking of 62. weekes doeth not speake of the weekes of daies but of yeares So therfore when he sayth From the time that the continual sacrifice was taken away c. 1290. dayes must be taken for so many yeares from the tyme of the desolation of Ierusalem euen vnto the reuealing of Antichrist and not for 3. yeares and an halfe which they say Antichrist shall raigne And againe whereas Daniel sayd How long till the ende of these marueilous matters it was aunswered him For a time and times and halfe a time Beholde also how vnfitly they did assigne this time by 3. yeares and a halfe which they say Antichriste shall raigne For when as it is sayde a time times and halfe a time there is a going downeward from the greater to the lesse from the whole to the part because it is from a time to halfe time If therefore there be a going downeward from the whole to the part by the middest which is greater then the whole it selfe the going downewarde is not meete nor agreeing And thys is done when as it is sayd that a time times and halfe a time is a yeare two yeares and halfe a yeare Wherfore more fitly it is sayd that a time times and halfe a time doth signifie 1290. yeares as is before sayde in the chapter preceding Thus therefore is the prophecie of Daniel falsly applied to that imagined Antichrist Likewise is the proces of the Apocalips applied to the same imagined Antichrist too much erroneously Because that the same cruell beast which came vp out of the sea hauing 7. heads and 10. hornes to whome there was power geuen ouer euery tribe people and toung and the power geuen for the space of 42. monethes Thys beast doth note thē Romaine Emperors which most cruelly did persecute the people of God aswell Christians as Iewes For whē as the condēnatiō of the great whore sitting vpon the many waters was shewed to Iohn he saw the same woman sitting vpon the purple coulored beast full of the names of blasphemy hauing 7. heads and 10. hornes and he saw a woman being dronken with the bloud of the Saintes and Martyrs of Iesu. And the angell expounding and telling him the mistery of the woman and the beast that caried her sayde That 7. heades are 7. hilles and are 7. kinges Fiue are fallen one is the other is not yet come when he shall come he must reigne a short time And the 10. hornes whiche thou sawest are 10. kinges who haue not yet taken theyr kingdome but shall receiue theyr power as it were in one hour vnder the beast And finally he sayth y◠woman whō thou sawest is the great Citty which hath the kingdome ouer the kings of the earth And it is manifest that the City of Rome at the time of this prophecy had the kingdom ouer the kings of the earth And this City was borne vp vpholden by her cruell beastly Emperors who by theyr cruelty and beastlynes did subdue vnto thēselues in a maner all the kingdomes of the world of a zeale to haue lordship ouer others and not vertuouslye to gouerne the people that were theyr subiectes seeing that they thēselues did lacke all vertue and drew backe others from the fayth and from vertue Wherfore what cruell beast comming vp out of the sea doth rightly note the Romain Emperors who had power ouer euery language people and coūtry And the power of this beast was for 42. moneths because that from the first Emperor of Rome that is to say Iulius Cesar vnto the ende of Fredericke the last Emperour of Rome there were 42. monethes taking a moneth for 30. dayes as the monethes of the Hebrues and Grecians are and taking a day alwayes for a yeare as commonlye it is taken in the Prophetes By whiche thinges it may playnely appeare how vnfitly this prophecy is applied to that imagined Antechrist and the 42. moneths taken for three yeares and an halfe which they say he shall reigne in agaynst the saying of the Prophetes because that dayes are taken for yeares As in the 1. of the Apocal. They shall be troubled 10. dayes Which do note the most cruel persecution of Dioclesian against the Christians that endured 10. yeares And in an other place of the Apocalips it is written of the smoke comming vp out of the bottomles pit Out of which pit there came foorth Grashoppers into the earth and to them was power geuen as scorpions haue power to vexe to trouble men 5. moneths Now it is manifest that from the beginning of the Friers minours and preachers to the time that Armachanus began to disclose and vncouer their hypocrisie and their false foundation of valiant begging vnder the pouertie of Christ were 5. monethes taking a moneth for 30. dayes and a day for a yeare And to Ezechiel were dayes geuen for yeares Wherfore it is an vnfit thing to assigne the 42. moneths being appoynted to the power of the beast vnto 3. yeares and a halfe for the reigne of that phantasticall and imagined Antichrist specially seing that they do apply to his reigne y◠1290. dayes in Daniel which make 42. moneths and in the Apocalips they assigne hym 42. moneths It is plaine that the Psalterie and the harpe agree not And therfore seing that it is sufficiently shewed that the same fabling tale of that imagined Antichrist to come is a fable and erroneous Let vs goe forward to declare whether Antichrist be already come and yet is he hid from many and must be opened and disclosed wythin a litle while according to the truthe of the holy Scripture for the saluation of the faithfull And because that in the first conclusion of mine aunswere I haue conditionally put it who is that Antichrist lying priuie in the hid Scriptures of the Prophets I will passe on the declaration of that cōclusion bringing to light those things whych lay hid in
that looke for him to their saluation For the lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come can neuer by the Image it selfe of thinges which euery yeare without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices make those perfect that come therunto for otherwise that offering should haue ceased Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from theyr sinnes should haue no more conscience of sinne But in these commemoratioÌ„ is made euery yere of sinne for it is impossible that by the bloud of Goates and Calues sinnes should be purged and taken away Therfore comming into the world he sayd Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou geuen me peace offeringes for sinne haue not pleased thee Then sayd I behold I come In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Saying as aboue because thou wouldest haue no sacrifices nor burnt offeringes for sinne neyther doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to the law Then sayd I behold I come that I may doe thy will O God He taketh away the first to stablishe that which followeth In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery priest is ready dayly ministring and oftentimes affering like sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this Iesus offering one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euermore on the right hand of God expecting the time tyll his enemies be made his footstoole For by his owne onely oblation hath he consummated for euermore those that are sanctified All these places haue I recited which Paule writeth for the better vnderstanding and declaration of those thinges I meane to speak By all which it appeareth manifestly how the Priesthood of Christ differeth from the legall priesthood of Aaron and by the same also appeareth how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ aboue recited are founde in no other Priest but in Christ alone Of the third priesthood that is the Christian priesthood Christ by expresse wordes speaketh but litle to make any difference betwene the priests and the rest of the people neither yet doth vse this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in the Gospell But some he calleth disciples some apostels whom he sent to baptise to preach in his name to do miracles He calleth them the salt of the earth in which the name of wisedome is ment and he calleth them the light of the world by which good liuing is signified For he sayth So let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen And Paule speaking of the Priestes to Timothe and Titus seemeth not to mee to make any diuersity betwixt the Priestes and the other people but in that he woulde haue them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life But the fourth priesthood is the Romaine priesthood brought in by the Church of Rome which Churche maketh a distinction betwene the clergy and the lay people after that the clergy is deuided into sundry degrees as appeareth in the decretals This distinction of the clergy from the laitye with the consure of clerkes began in the time of * Anacletus as it doth appeare in the Chronicles The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted distincted by their offices and there was no ascentioÌ„ to the degree of the priesthood but by inferior orders and degrees But in the primitiue churche it was not so for immediately after tht conuersion of some of theÌ„ to the fayth baptisme receiued they were priests bishops made as appeareth by Ananias whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker to be a bishop And of many others it was in like case done according to the traditions of the church of Rome Priests are ordeined to offer sacrifices to make supplication and prayers and to blesse sanctify The oblation of the priesthood onely to Priestes as they say is congruent whose duties are vpon the aultar to offer for the sinnes of the people the Lords body which is coÌ„secrated of bread Of which saying I haue great maruell considering S. Paule his wordes to the Hebrues before recited If Christ offering for our sinnes one oblation for euermore sitteth on the right hand of God and wyth that one oblation hath coÌ„suÌ„mated for euermore those that are sanctified If Christ euermore sitteth on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs what neede he to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes of the Priestes to be dayly offered I do not finde in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed whiche Christ offered vpon the aultar of the crosse for our sinnes For it is an absurditye to say that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpon the aultar by the Priestes for then the Priestes should really crucify him vpoÌ„ the aultar which is a thing of no Christian to be beleeued But euen as in his supper his body his bloud he deliuered to his Disciples in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sinnes So after his asceÌ„tion did his Apostles vse the same when they brake bread in euery house for a SacrameÌ„t and not for a sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ who so entirelye loued vs that willinglye he suffered the death for vs for the remission of our sinnes And thus did they offer theÌ„selues to God by loue being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name and for the sauing health of theyr brethren fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ which sayd vnto them A new coÌ„mauÌ„dement do I geue vnto you that you loue one another as I haue loued you But wheÌ„ loue began to waxe cold or rather to be frosen for cold thorow the anguish anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ then Priests did vse the flesh and bloud of Christ in â—â—tad of a sacrifice And because many of them feared death some of them fled into solitarye places not daring to geue themselues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name sauing health of theyr brethreÌ„ Some other worshipped Idols fearing death as did also the chiefe Bishop of Rome and many other mo in diuers places of the world And thus it came to passe as that which was ordeined and instituted for a memoriall of the one onely sacrifice was altered for want of loue into the realitye of the sacrifice it selfe ¶ After these thinges thus discussed he inferreth consequently vpon the same an other briefe tractation of women
touching the Church because he kepeth not the institutions inuestitures therof but holdeth opinion that euery man hath authority to inuest appoint any man to the cure of soules This is euident by his owne doings For so much as many in the kingdome of Boheme by their defenders and fauourers or rather by himselfe were appoynted and put into parish churches the which they haue long ruled and kept not being appoynted by the Apostolike sea neither yet by the ordiuarie of the citie of Prage Eightly he erreth as touching the Churche in that he holdeth opinion that a man being once ordained a Priest or a deacon cannot be forbidden or kept backe from the office of preaching this is likewise manifest by his own doings for somuch as he himselfe could neuer be letted from preaching neither by the Apostolick sea neither yet by the Archbishop of Prage And to the intent that the sayd Iohn Hus who is dothed in sheepes clothing inwardly a rauing wolfe may be the better knowen by his fruits for the better information of you most reuerend fathers I say that from the first time that he tooke in hand or went about to sow hys errours and heresies yâ— which afterward he did in deede he vnderstanding and perceiuing himself to be â—standed and gainsayde by the Germaines which were in the vniuersitie of Prage for somuch as he coulde conclude nothing because they had 3. voyces and he on hys parre had but one onely voyce he went about and brought to passe and that by the secular power that the Germaines shoulde haue but one voyce and he and his partes 3. voyces the which thing when the Germanes once perceiued rather then they wold loose or forsake any parte of their right whych they had in voyces or be in danger in theyr persons the which would then haue ensued vppon it to saue themselues they wholy with one consent agreed together to depart out of Prage and by this meanes this solemne famous vniuersitie of Prage was made desolate that had brought forth so many notable meÌ„ in diuers sciences Beholde this his first fruits which deuided that so famous vniuersitie for so muche as grapes are not gathered of thornes neyther figs of brambles Moreouer when there were questioÌ„s moned amongst the deuines of the vniuersitie of Prage vppon the 45. articles of Iohn Wickliffe and that they had called a conuocation and all the deuines of Boheme for the Germaines were all ready departed they concluded that euery one of those Articles were either heretical seditious or els erroneous He alone held the coÌ„trary opinion the none of those articles were either hereticall seditious or erroneous as afterward he did dispute holde and teache in the common schooles of Prage where by it is euideÌ„tly inough foresene that he doeth affirme those articles of Wickliffe the whych are not onely condemned in England but also by the whole church because they were first inuented and set forth by the members of Antichrist Moreouer he being complained of to the Archbyshop of Prage the he preached set foorth certaine articles which were heretical false and seditious he was forbidden by the sayd Archbishop to preach any more and proceded against him according to the canonicall sanctions the whych processe is confirmed by the Apostolike sea and published as well in the courte of Rome as wythout the whych Iohn Hus and his adherents haue diuers and manifold wayes violate prophanate And whosoeuer did speake against him they were depriued of their benefices and others placed in which haue ruled and yet do rule the said churches the flockes pertaining to the same not hauing any cure or charge of the soules coÌ„mitted vnto them neyther by the Apostolike sea neither yet by the ordinary of the place Also as many as well priests as lay men in the citie of Prage kingdom of Boheme which haue spoken against the doctrine of Hus and the prophanation of the processe aforesaid or at the least not alowing the same haue suffred most mortall hatred and persecutions and yet to thys day do suffer But that at this present it is dissimuled vntil the ende of the processe against Iohn Hus. Wherefore if he be nowe let goe againe without doubt they shall suffer great persecution both in body and goodes and throughout all the realm of Boheme house shal be against house and this mischiefe will creepe yea sodeinly spring vp throughout al Germany and innumerable soules shal be infected so that there shall be such persecution of the cleargie and faithfull as hath not bene since the time of the Emperor Constantine to this present day for he ceaseth not to mooue and stir vp the laity against the clergy and faithfull christians And when any of the clergie would draw him away or cal him from his heresie for that cause doth forbid him to preach that he doe not teach no heresies Then sayeth he and teacheth that the clergie doth that of enuie and malice because he rebuketh their vices and faultes that is to say their simonie and pride and conetousnesse Moreouer hee stirreth vp the seculare princes against the prelates of churches monasteries vniuersities and generally against the whole clergy Going about by thys meanes he preacheth and teacheth that prelates and other men of the church ought not to haue any temporal goodes or possessions but only to liue vppon almes And by thys meanes he hath done already very much hurt and anoied diuers and many Prelates clearkes and Churches in the kingdome of Boheme and citie of Prage For so muche as thereby they are already spoiled and robbed of their possessions Yea hee teacheth also that it is lawfull for the lay people wythout sinne to wythholde and keepe backe the tithes and oblations or to geue the Church goodes to any other minister all the seculare princes are greatly inclined hereunto but specially the laitie who foloweth euery maÌ„ his owne will He hath generally to lay for himself all those heretikes which do but very finally regard the ecclesiastical censures and hate the authority of the Romaine church yea doe vtterly detest abhorre the same the which thing will more and more encrease except it be effectually and manfully wtstand and if he do by any meanes escape from the councel he and his fauourers wil say that hys doctrine is iust and true and that it is allowed by the authority of the vniuersall sacred Councell and that all hys aduersaries are wicked and noughty men so that he would do more mischief then euer any hereticke did since the tyme of Constantinus Magnus Wherefore most holy fathers prouide and take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke amongst whome the holy Ghost hath placed you to rule the Churche of Christ the whych he hathe purchased wyth his owne bloude and whilest the disease is new and fresh helpe and remedye it as well touching him which doth so
not onely left such articles and opinioÌ„s wherin he was defamed but also did abstaine from all company that were suspected of such opinions so that he should neither geue ayd helpe councell nor fauor vnto them And moreouer the sayd Iohn was asked by the sayde Archbishop whether he euer had in his house since his abiuration in his keeping any bookes written in Englishe Wherunto he confessed that he would not deny but that he had in his house and in his keeping many english bookes for he was arested by the Mayor of the city of London for such bookes as he had which bookes as he thought were in the Mayors keping Upon the which the Mayor did openly confesse that he had such bookes in his keping which in his iudgement were the worst and the moste peruerse that euer he did read or see and one booke that was well bound in red leather of parâ—chment written in a good english hand and among the other bookes found with the said Iohn Claydon the Mayor gaue vp the sayd booke afore the Archbishop Whereupon the sayde Iohn Claydon being asked of the Archbishop if he knewe that booke dyd openly confesse that he knew it very well because he caused it to be written of his owne costes and charges for he speÌ„t muche money thereupon since his abiuration Then was he asked who wrote it He did aunswere one called Iohn Grime And further being required what the said Iohn Grime was he aunswered he coulde not tell Agayne being demaunded whether he did euer read the same booke he dyd confesse that he could not read but he had heard the fourth part therof red of one Iohn Fullar And being asked whether he thought the contentes of that booke to be Catholicke profitable good and true he aunswered that many thinges which he had hearde in the same booke were both profitable good and healthful to his soule and as he sayde he had great affection to the sayd book for a Sermon preached at Horsaldowne that was written in the sayd booke And being futher asked whether since the tyme of hys sayd abiuration he did commune with one Richard Baker of the City aforesayd he did answere yea for the sayde Richard Baker did come often vnto his house to haue coÌ„munication with him And being asked whether he knew the said Richard to be suspected and defamed of heresy he did aunswere agayne that he knew well that the sayd Richard was suspected defamed of many men and women in the City of LondoÌ„ as one whom they thought to be an hereticke Which confession being made did cause the sayd bookes to be deliuered to maister Robert Gilbert Doctour of diuinity to William Lindewood Doctor of both lawes and other Clerkes to be examined and in the meane time Dauid Beard Alexander Philip and Balthasar Mero were taken for witnesses agaynst him and were committed to be examined to Maister Iohn Escourt generall examiner of Canterbury This done the Archbishop continued hys Session till Monday next in the same place Which Monday being come which was the xx of the sayd moneth the sayd Maister Escourt openly and publickely exhibited the witnesses being openly read before the Archbishop and other Bishops which being read then after that were read diuers tractations founde in the house of the sayde Iohn Claydon out of the which being examined diuers points were gathered and noted for heresies and errors and specially out of the booke aforesaid which booke the said Iohn Claydon confessed by his owne costes to be written and bound which booke was intituled the Lanterne of light In the which and in the other examined were these Articles vnder written conteyned 1. First vpon the text of the Gospell how the enemy dyd sowe the tares there is sayd thus that wicked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed among the lawes of Christ his popish and corrupt decrees which are of no authoritye strength nor valure 2. That the Archbishops and Bishops speaking indifferently are the seates of the beast Antichrist when he sitteth in theÌ„ and raigneth aboue other people in the darck caues of errors and heresyes 3. That the Bishops licence for a man to preach the word of God is the true caracter of the beast i. Antichrist therfore simple and faythfull Priestes may preache when they will agaynst the prohibition of that Antichrist and without licence 4. That the court of Rome is the chiefe head of Antichrist and the Bishops be the body the new sectes that is the monks canons and friers brought in not by Christ but damnably by the pope be the venimous pestiferous tail of Antichrist 5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church but only such as be elected and predestinate to saluation seing the church is no other thing but the congregation of faythfull soules which doe and will keepe their faith constantly as well in deed as in word 6. That Chryst did neuer plante priuate religions in the church but whilest he liued in this world he did root them out By which it appeareth that priuate religioÌ„s be vnprofitable branches in the church and to be rooted out 7. That the materiall churches should not be decked with golde siluer precious stone sumptuously but the folowers of the humility of Iesus Christ ought to worship their Lord God humbly in mean simple houses not in great buildings as the churches be now a dayes 8. That there be ij chiefe causes of the persecution of the christians one is the priestes vnlawfull keeping of teÌ„poral and superfluous goods the other is the vnsatiable begging of the friers with their hye buildings 9. That almes is not geuen vertuously nor lawfully except it be geuen with these 4. conditions first vnlesse it be geuen to the honor of God 2. vnlesse it be geuen of goodes iustly gotten 3. vnlesse it be geueÌ„ to such a person as the geuer therof knoweth to be in charity And 4. vnles it be geueÌ„ to such as haue need and do not dissemble 10. That the often singing in the church is not founded in the scripture and therefore it is not lawfull for priestes to occupy theÌ„selues with singing in the Church but with the study of the law of Christ and preaching his word 11. That Iudas did receiue the body of Christ in breade his bloud in wine In the which it doth playnly appeare that after consecration of breade and wine made the same bread and wine that was before doth truely remayne on the aultar 12. That all ecclesiasticall suffrages do profit all vertuous and godly persons indifferently 13. That the Popes and the Bishops indulgences be vnprofitable neither can they profite them to whom they be geuen by any meanes 14. That the laity is not bound to obey the prelates what so euer they commauÌ„d vnles the prelats do watch to geue God a iust account of the soules of them 15. That Images are not to be
Windeham Tho Plowman Iohn Fellis Tho. Loue of Rokeland Rich Knobbing of Beckles Rich. Grace of Beckles Iohn Eldon of Beckles William Hardy Wil. Bate Iohn Weston Katherine Hobs. Iohn Daw. Rob. Grigs of Martham Wil. Calis Priest Tho. Pert. Priest Katherine Dauy. Iacob Bodhome Margaret his wife Iohn Manning of Marton Iohn Culling of Beemster Rich Fletcher of Beckles and Matild his wife Iohn Eldon of Beckles Rob. Canel Priest Nich. Drey Wil. Hardy of Mundham Iohn Poleyne These forenamed persons and souldiors of Christ being much beatē with the cares and troubles of those dayes although they were constrayned to relent and abiure that is to protest otherwise with their tonges then theyr harts did thinke partly through correction and partly through infirmity being as yet but new trayned Souldiours in Gods field yet for theyr good will they bare vnto the trueth although with theyr tongues they durst not expresse it we haue thought good that theyr names should not be suppressed as well for other sondry causes as especially for this either to stop the mouthes of malignant aduersaryes or to aunswere to theyr ignorance Who folowing rather blinde affection thē the true knowledge of times and antiquities for lacke of knowledge blame that they know not accusing the true doctrine of the worde of God for newelty and carping the teachers therof for new broched brethrē Who if they did as well foresee times passed as they be vnwilling to follow times now present they should vnderstand as well by these storyes as other before how this doctrine of the grace of God lacking no antiquity hath from time to time continually sought to burst out and in some places hath preuayled although in most places through tyrāny and the malice of men Christes procedinges haue bene suppressed and kept vnder from rising so muche as mans power and strength ioyned with craft and subtlery coulde labor to keepe downe the same as here by these good men of Northfolke and Southfolke may well appeare For if the knowledge and the good towardnesse of those good mē had had the like liberty of time with the helpe of like authority as we haue nowe and had not ben restrayned thorough the iniquity of time and tyranny of Prelates it had well appeared how olde this doctrine woulde haue bene which now they contemne and reiect for the newnes therof neither needed Boner to haue asked of Tho. Hawkes and such other where their Church was for xl yeares ago in as much as for xl yeares ago and more within the coūtry of Norfolke and Suffolke was then soūd such plenty of the same professiō like doctrine which we now professe And thus much for the nūber of the names of thesepersōs Now touching theyr Articles whiche they did mayneteine and defend first this is to be considered as I finde it in the registers such society and agrement of doctrine to be amongst them that almost in theyr assertions and articles there was no difference The doctrine of the one was the doctrine of all the other what theyr articles were partly it is shewed in the lease before and partly here followeth to be declared more at large Although it is to be thought concerning these Articles that many of them either were falsly obiected agaynst thē or not truely reported of the notaryes according as the cōmon maner is of these aduersaryes where the matter is good there to make heresy and of a litle occasion to styre vp great matter of slaunder as they did before by the articles of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus and others mo So in like maner it semeth they did in the Articles of these mē either mistaking that which they said or misunderstanding that which they ment especially in these two articles concerning baptisme and paying of tithes For where as they speaking agaynst the ceremonicall and superfluous traditions then vsed in baptisme as salt oile spittle taper light crisomes exorcising of the water with such other accoūted them as no materiall thing in the holy institution of Baptisme the notaryes slaunderously deprauing this theyr assertion to make it more odious to the eares of the people so gaue out the article as though they should holde that the sacrament of Baptisme vsed in the church by water is but a light matter and of small effect Agayne in speaking agaynst the Christening the midwiues vse in priuate houses agaynst the opinion of suche as thinke suche children to be damned which depart before they come to theyr Baptisme they are falsely reported as though they shoulde say that Christen people be sustiently baptised in the bloud of Christ and nedeth no water and that infants be sufficiently baptised if their parents be baptised before them Whiche thing is so contrary to the manifest worde that it is not to bee thoughte anye to bee so ignoraunt of the gospell that euer would or did affirme the same Moreouer they thought or sayd peraduenture that in certayne cases tithes might be witholden from wicked priestes sometime and be conferred to better vses to the be hoofe of the poore Therfore they are falsly slaundered as saying and affirming that no tithes were to be geuē to the ministers and curates of the churches And likewise for matrimony wherin they are reported to hold and affirme as though it consisted onely in the mutuall consent betwixt the man woman neding no other solemnizing in the publicke church and all because as it is like they denyed it to be a Sacramēt Other articles were obiected agaynst them as these which hereafter folow That auricular confessiō is not to be made vnto a priest but vnto God onely because no priest hath any power to absolue a sinner from his sinne Item that no Priest hath power to make the body of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar but that after the sacramentall words there remayneth pure materiall breade as before Item that euery true christian man is a priest to God Item that no man is bound vnder paine of damnatiō vnto Lent or any other dayes prohibited by the Church of Rome Item that the Pope is Antichrist and his Prelats the Disciples of Antichrist and the Pope hath no power to binde and loose vpon earth Item that it is lawfull for euery Christian to doe any bodely worke sinne onely except vpon holy dayes Item that it is lawfull for priestes to haue wiues Item that the excommunications and ecclesiastical cēsures geuen out by the Prelates are not to be regarded Item it is not lawfull to sweare in priuate cases Item that men ought not to go on pilgrimage Item that there is no honor to be geuē to the Images of the crucifixe of our Lady or any other saynt Item that the holy water halowed in the church by the priest is not holyer or of more vertue then other running or well water because the Lord blessed all waters in theyr first creation Item that the death of Thomas Becket was
neuer confesse her selfe to any priest neyther obey him because they haue no power to absolue any man from theyr sinnes for that they offeÌ„d dayly more greeuously then other men and therefore that men ought to confesse themselues onely vnto God and to no priest Item the said Margery said to this deponent that the people did worship deuils which fell froÌ„ heauen with Lucifer which deuils in theyr fall to the earth entred into the Images which stand in the Churches and haue long lurked dwelled in theÌ„ so that the people worshipping those Images commit Idolatry Item she sayd more to this deponent that holy bread holy water were but triâ—es of no effect or force that the belles are to be cast out of the Church and that they are excommunicate which first ordeined them Moreouer that she should not be burned although she were conuict of Lollardy for that she had a charter of saluation in her body Also the sayd deponent sayth that Agnes Bethem her seruant being sent to the house of the sayd Margery the Saterday after AshweÌ„sday the said Margery not being wtin found a brasse pot standing ouer the fire with a piece of baken and Otemeate sething in it as it is said Agnes reported to this deponent There were also besides this deponent diuers other worne and examined vpon the sayde Margery as Iohn Brunley and Agnes BertheÌ„ seruauntes to William Clistand which altogether confirmed the former depositions Thus much we haue thought good to note as concerning Margery Backster which we haue gathered out of the old monumentes and registers But what became of her after this her accusation because we finde no mention made in the sayd registers we are not able to declare The same yeare also were the like depositions made by one William Wright agaynst diuers good men as here foloweth First this deponent sayth that William Taylor tolde Iohn Piry of Ludney in the house of Iohn Bungay of Beghton in the presence of I. Bungay Robert Brigges wright of Martham and Iohn Usher that all the good men of Martham which were fauorers helpers to that good man William White are euill troubled now a dayes and that the sayd William White was a good holy doctor and that the best doctor after him was William Euerden whiche wrought with the sayde William Taylour of Ludney by the space of one moneth and that the first Sonday of the same moneth the sayd William Euerden did sit all day vpon the table at worke saying to the sayd William Taylor that he would not go to Church to shew hymselfe a Scribe or Pharisy and the second sonday he put on Gentle mans apparell and went to Norwiche to harken how the Byshop and his ministers vsed the poore Christians there in prison Also the sayd William Wright deposed that Willyam Taylour of Ludney was one of the secte went to London with Syr Hue Pye and had conuersation ofteÌ„times with Syr William White hauing often conference vpon the Lollardes doctrine Item that Auise wife of Thomas Moone is of the same sect and fauored them and receiueth them often and also the daughter of Thomas Moone is partly of the same sect and can read English Item that Richard Fletcher of Beckils is a most perfect doctor in that sect and can very well and perfectly expound the holy Scriptures hath a booke of the new law in English which was Syr Hughe Pyes first IteÌ„ that Nicolas Belward sonne of Iohn Belward dwelling in the parishe of Southelham is one of the same sect and hath a new Testament which he bought at London for 4. markes and 40. pence and taught the sayd William Wright and Margery his wife and wrought wyth them continually by the space of one yere and studied diligently vpon the sayd new Testament IteÌ„ that Thomas Bremner Turner of Dychingame is perfect in that sect and law Iohn Clarke the younger of Bergh had the beddinge and apparell of William Euerden in his custody after the returne of William White from Bergh and is of the same secte Item William Bate Taylour of Sething and hys wife and his sonne whiche can reade Englishe very well are of the same sect Item William Skiruing of Sething receiued Ioane the wife of W. White into his house being brought thither by William Euerden after theyr departure from Martham Item William Osborne of Sething I. Reue glouer and Bawdwin Cooper of Beckels are of the same sect Item Iohn Pert late seruaunt of Thomas Moone is of the same secte and can read well did read in the presence of William White and was the first that brought Sir Hugh Pye into the company of the Lollardes which assembled oftentimes together at the house of the sayd Tho. Moone and there conferred vpon theyr doctrine Item Syr Hugh Pye bequeathed to Alice seruaunt to William White a new Testament which they then called the booke of the new law was in the custody of Oswald Godfrey of Colchester Iohn Perker Mercer of a village by Ipswitch is a famous Doctour of that secte Also he sayd that father Abraham of Colchester is a good man Item the sayd William Wright deposeth that it is read in the Prophesies amonges the Lollardes that the sect of Lollardes shal be in a maner destroyed Notwithstanding at the length the Lollards shall preuayle and haue the victory agaynst all theyr enemyes Also he sayd that Tucke knoweth all of that Sect in Suffolke Norfolke and Essex Besides these there were many other â—he same yeare troubled whose names being before expressed in the table of Norfolke men here for breuityes sake we omit further to untreat of passing ouer to the next yere folowing which was 1430. Ex Regist. Norw IOhn Burrell seruaunt to Thomas Moone of Ludney in the Dioces of Norwiche was apprehended and arrested for heresy the 9. day of December in this yeare of our Lord 1430. and examined by Mayster William Bernam the Bishops commissary vpon the articles before mentioned and diuers others hereafter following obiected agaynst him In primis that the Catholicke Churche is the soule of euery good Christen man Item that no man is bounde to fast the Lent or other fasting dayes appoynted by the Church for they were not appoynted by God but ordeyned by the priestes and that euery man may eat flesh or fish vpon the same dayes indifferently according to his own will euery friday is a free day to eat both flesh and fish indifferently Item that pilgrimage ought not to be made but onely vnto the poore Item that it is not lawefull to sweare but in case of life and death Item that Masses and prayers for the deade are but vayne for the soules of the dead are eyther in heaueÌ„ or hell and there is none other place of purgatory but this world UpoÌ„ the which Articles he being coÌ„uict was
of mony delayed the time in making of their truce Camillus cōming vpon them did most shamefully driue them out againe But what need I to rehearse old histories when as our own examples are sufficient for vs Ye know your selues how often these delayes haue bene hurtfull vnto you how oftē the delay of a few dayes hath growne to a long tracte of tyme. For now this is the 8. yeare that you haue spent in delayes you haue seene that alwayes of one delay an other hath sprong and risen Wherfore I do require that Panormitan shuld consider that the conclusion being this day disturbed we know not whether it will be brought to passe hereafter againe or no. Many impedimentes or lets may rise Neither doth Panormitan say that this delay being obtayned he wold afterward consent with his fellowes vnto the conclusiōs for he denyeth that he hath any commaundement therunto which is more to be considered he sayth that the Ambassadours at their returne from Mentz may bring such newes wherby these conclusions may be omitted as though any thyng were more excellent then the truth The which thing doth manifestly declare that they do not seeke delayes for the better examination of the matter but for to impugne the conclusions the more strongly Neither do I agree with Panormitan as touching the effects which he sayd should ryse eyther of the denyall or graunting of the requests For I see no cause why the Princes should so greatly require any delay There are no letters of anye Prince come vnto vs as touching such request neyther is there any man lately come from them neyther is it greatly materiall vnto them but that the matters of faith shoulde be determined But this is a most pernicious conclusion which Panormitane hath made and not to be looked for at the handes of those most godly princes wheras he saith if we do please them they will take our part If contrariwise they will decline vnto Eugenius and wholy resist rebell agaynst vs. This is a meruailous word a wonderfull conclusion altogether vnworthye to be spoken of such a man The decrees of the Councell of Constance are that all maner of men of what state or condition soeuer they be are bound to the ordinaunces and decrees of the generall Councels But Panormitanes wordes do not tend to that effect for he would not haue the Princes obedient vnto the Councel but that councell to be obedient vnto that princes Alas most reuerend Fathers alas what times daies what maners and conditiōs are these Into what misery are we now brought How shall we at anye time bring to passe that the Pope being Christes Uicare and as they say an other Christ in earth should be subiect vnto the coūcell of Christians if the Councell it selfe ought to obey wordly Princes But I pray you look for no such things at the Princes handes Do not beleeue that they will forsake theyr mother the Church Do not thinke them so farr alienate frō the truth that they would haue iustice suppressed The conclusions whereupon the controuersie is are most true most holy most allowable If the princes do refuse them they do not resist agaynst vs but against the holy Scriptures yea and agaynst Christ himselfe which you ought neither to beleue neither was it comely for Panormitane so to say Panormitan by your licēce be it spoken you haue vttered most cruell words neyther do you seeme to go about any other matter then to inculcate terrour and feare into the mindes of the Fathers for you haue rehearsed great perils and daungers except we submitt our selues vnto the princes But you most reuerend fathers shall not be afearde of them which kill the body the soule they cannot kill neyshal ye forsake the truth although you should shedde your bloud for the same Neither ought we to be any whit more slacke in the quarrell of our mother the church and the Catholicke fayth then those most holy Martyrs whiche haue established the Church with theyr bloud For why should it be anye greeuous matter vnto vs to suffer for Christ which for our sakes hath suffered so cruel greuous death Who when he was an immortall God voyd of all passiōs toke vpō him the shape of a mortal man feared not for our redemption to suffer tormentes vpon the crosse Set before your eyes the Prince of the Apostles Peter Paule Andrew Iames and Barthelmew and not to speake onely of Bishops Marke what Stephen Laurence Sebastian Fabian did Some were hanged some headed some stoned to death other some burned and others tormented with most cruell and grieuous tormentes suffered for Christes sake I pray you for Gods sake let vs follow the example of these men If we will be byshops and succeed in honour let vs not feare Martyrdome Alas what effeminate harts haue we Alas what faynt harted people are we They in tymes past by the contempt of death conuerted the whole world which was full of gentilitie and idolatrye and we through our sluggishnes desire of life do bring the Christian Religion out of the whole world into one corner I feare greatly least that little also which is left we shall lose through our cowardlines if that by following Panormitanes minde we do commit the whole gouernaunce defence of the Church vnto the princes But nowe play the stout and valiaunt men in this time of tribulation feare not to suffer death for the Churche whiche Curtius feared not to doe for the cittie of Rome which Menchotheus for Thebes Codrus for Athens willingly took vpon them Not onely the martyrs but also the Gentiles might moue and stirre vs to cast of all the feare of death What is to be sayd of Theremens the Athemen With how ioyfull hart and minde and pleasaunt countenaunce did he drink the poyson What say you vnto the Socrates that most excellent Philosopher did he eyther weepe or sigh when he supped vp the poyson They hoped for that whiche we are most certayne of Not by dying to dye but to chaunge this present life for a better Truly we ought to be ashamed being admonished by so many examples instructed with so great learning yea and redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ so greatly to feare death Cato writeth not of one or two men but of whole legions which haue chearfully couragiously gone vnto those places frō whence they knew they shuld not return Wyth like courage did the Lacedemoniās geue thēselues to death at Thermopilis of whom Simonides writeth thus Dic hospes Spartanos te hic vidisse iacentes Dum sanctis patriae legibus obsequimur Report thou straunger the Spartaines here to lye Whiles that their coūtry lawes they obeyed willingly Neither iudge the contrary but that the Lacedemonians went euen of purpose vnto death vnto whome theyr Captayne Leonidas sayd O ye Lacedemonians goe forward couragiously for this day we shal sup together
in tymes past by ignoraunce had all vnder hys possession yet neyther must he thinke that violence will alwayes continue neyther must he hope for that now which he had then for so much as in those former dayes bookes then were scarse also of such excessiue price that few coulde attayne to the buying fewer to the reading studying therof which bookes now by the meanes of this arte are made easie vnto al men Ye heard before pag. 665 how Nicholas Belward bought a new testament in those dayes for foure markes and 40. pence where as now the same price will serue well 40. persons with so many bookes Moreouer in the pag. 411. col 1. it was noted and declared by the testimony of Armachanus how for defect of bookes and good authors both vniuersities were decaied and good wits kept in ignoraunce while begging Fryers scaping all the wealth from other priestes heaped vp all bookes that coulde be gotten into theyr owne Libraryes where eyther they dyd not diligently applye them or els did not rightly use them or at least kept them from such as more fruitfully would haue perused them In this then so great raritie and also dearth of good books when neither they which could haue books would well vse them nor they y◠woulde could haue them to vse what maruell if the greedines of a few prelates did abuse the blindnes of those daies to the aduauncement of themselues Wherefore almighty God of hys mercifull prouidence seeing both what lacked in the church and how also to remedy the same for that aduauncement of his glory gaue the vnderstanding of this excellent arte or science of printing whereby three singular cōmodities at one time came to the world First the price of all bookes diminished Secondly toe speedy helpe of reading more furthered And thirdly the plenty of all good authours enlarged according as Aprutinus doth truely report Imprimit ille die quantum non scribitur anno 1. The presse in one day will do in printing That none in one yeare can do in writing By reason whereof as printing of bookes ministred matter of readyng so readyng brought learning learning shewedlight by y◠brightnes wherof blind ignorance was suppressed errour detected finally Gods glory with trueth of hys worde aduaunced This facultie of Printing was after the inuention of Gunnes the space of 130. yeares which inuention was also found in Germany an 1380. And thus much for the worthy commendation of printing ¶ The lamentable losing of Constantinople ANno 1453. Constantinus Paloelogus beyng Emperour of Constatinople the 29. day of the month of May the great Cittye of Constantinople was taken by the Turke Mahometes after the siege of 54. dayes which siege began in the beginning of Aprill Within the city beside the Citizens were but onely 6000. rescuers of the Greekes And 3000. of the Uenetians Gennues Against these Mahometes brought an army of 400. thousand collected out of the countryes and places adioyning nere about as out of Grecia Illirico Wallachia Dardanis Triballis Bulganis out of Bithynia Galatia Lydia Cecilia and suche other which places had the name yet of Christians Thus one neighbour for lucre sake helped to destroy all other The Cittie was compassed of the Turkes both by the sea land Mahometes the Turke deuided his armye in 3. sondry partes which in 3. partes of the citty so bette the walles and brake them downe that they attempted by the breaches therof to enter the cittye But the valiauntnes of the Christians there in wanne much cōmendation whose Duke was called Iohn Iustinianus of Genua But for so much as the assaultes were great and the number of the Christian souldiours dayly decreased fighting both at the walles and at the Hauen agaynst such a multitude of the Turkes they were not able long to hold out Beside the armyes which lay battering at the walles the Turke had vpon the sea his nauy of 200. and 50. sayle lying vpon the hauen of the City reaching from the one side of the hauens mouth vnto the other as if a bridge should be made frō the one banke to the other Which hauen by the cittizens was barred with yron chaines whereby the Turks were kept out a certayne space Agaynst whiche nauy 7. ships there were of Genua within the hauen and 3. of Creta and certayne of Chio which stoode agaynst them Also the souldiours issuing out of the Cittie as occasion would serue did manfully gaynstand them and with wild fire set their ships on fire that a certayn space they could serue to no vse At length the cheynes being brast a way made the Turkes nauy entred the hauen and assaulted the Cittie whereby the Turke began to conceiue great hope and was in forwardnes to obtain the Citie The assault and skirmish thē waxing more hoate Mahometes the tyraunt stode by vppon an hill with hys warriours about him crying houling out vnto them to skale the walles and enter the towne otherwise if any reculed he threatned to kill them and so he did Wherefore a great number of his souldiours in theyr repulse and retire were slaine by the turkes men being sēt by his commandement to slay them and so they were iustly serued and well payd theyr hyer Although this was some comfort to the Christians to see and behold out of the Cittie the Turkes retinue so consumed yet that hope lasted not long Shortly after by rage of warre it happened Iustinian the Duke aboue named to be hurt who notwithstanding that he was earnestly desired by Paloelogus the Emperour not to leaue his Tower which he had to keepe seeing hys wound was not deadly daungerous yet could he not be intreated to tary but lefte his standing and his fort disfurnished setting none in his place to award the same And so this donghty Duke hurte more with hys false hart then with force of weapon gaue ouer and fled to Chius where shortly after for sorrow rather then for sorenes of wound he died Many of his souldiours seeing their captayne flee followed after leauing their fort vtterly destitute without defence The Turkes vnderstanding y◠vantage soone brast into the cittie The Emperour Paloelogus seeing no other way but to flee making toward the gate eyther was slayne or els troden down with the multitude In the which gate 800. dead mēs bodies were found and taken vp The Cittie of Constantinople thus being gotte the Turkes sacking and raunging about the streetes houses and corners did put to the sword most vnmercifully whō soeuer they found both aged and young matrones virgins children and infants sparing none the noble matrones and virgins were horriblye rauished the goods of the cittie the treasurers in houses the ornaments in churches were all sackt and spoyled the pictures of Christ approbriously handled in hatred of Christ. The spoyle and hauocke of the citie lasted three dayes together while the barbarous souldiours murdered and rifeled what them
in S. Paules Epistle ad Chessall and also in the reuelation of S. Iohn Which Scriptures otherwise without the opening of these historyes can not so perfectly bee vnderstand of the whiche Scriptures we mynde hereafter Christ graunting orderly as the course of matter shall lead vs to make rehearsall An other cause is that we may learne thereby eyther with the publique Churche to lament with our brethren such a great defection and decay of christian fayth through these wicked Turkes or els may feare thereby our owne daunger The thyrd cause that we may pōder more deeply with our selues the scourge of God for our sinnes and corrupte doctrine which in the sequele hereof more euidently may appeare to our eyes for our better admonition Fourthly the consideration of this horrible persecution of the Turkes rising chiefely by our discord and dissention among our selues may reduce vs agayn from our domesticall wars in killing and burning one of an other to ioyne together in Christian patience and concorde U. but chiefely these great victoryes of the Turkes and vnprosperous speed of our men fighting agaynst thē may admonish teach vs folowing the example of the olde Israelites how to seek for greater strēgth to encounter with these enemyes of Christ then hitherto we haue done First we must cōsider that the whole power of Sathan the prince of this world goeth with the Turkes Whiche to resist no strēgth of mans arme is sufficient but onely the name spirite and power of our Lord Iesus the sonne of god going with vs in our battels as among the olde Israelites the Arcke of Gods couenaunt and promise wente with them also fighting agaynst the enemies of God For so are wee taught in Scripture that we christen mē haue no strength but in Christ onely Whether we warre agaynst the deuilt or agaynst the Turke it is true that the Scripture sayeth Sine me nihil potestis facere i. without me you ea do nothing Otherwise there is no puissaunce to stand agaynst the deuill or to conquere the world Nisi fides nostra that is our fayth onely all the promises of God touching saluation be annexed beyonde which promises we muste not goe for the worde must be our rule He that presumeth beyond the promises in the word expressed goeth not but wandereth hee can not tell whether Neither must we appoynt God how to saue the worlde but must take that way whiche he hath appointed Let vs not set our God to schoole nor cōprehēd his holy spirite within our sculles He that made vs wtout our counsell did also redeeme vs as pleased hym If he be mercifull let vs be thankefull And if his mercyes surmoūt our capacity let vs therfore not resist but search his word and thereunto apply our will which if we will doe all but contentious wil soone be at a poynt Let vs therfore search the will of our God in his word and if he will his saluation to stand free to all nations why do we make marchandise thereof If he haue graciously offred his waters to vs without mony or mony worth let vs not hedge in the plētuous springes of his grace geuen vs. And finally if God haue determined his owne sonne onely to stand alone let not vs presume to admixt with his maiesty any of our trumpery He that bringeth S. George or S. Deuise as patrons to the field to fight against the turk leaueth Christ no doubt at home Now how we haue fought these many yeres agaynst the Turke though storyes keep silence yet the successe declareth We fight agaynst a persecutour being no lesse persecutours our selues We wrastle against a bloudy tyraunt and our handes be as full of bloud as his He killeth Christes people with the sword and we burne them with fire He obseruing the works of the law seeketh his iustice by the same the like also do we But neither hee nor we seeke our iustification as we shoulde that is by fayth onely in the sonne of God And what maruell then if our doctrine being as corrupt almost as his and our conuersation worse if Christe fight not with vs fighting agaynst the Turke The Turke hath preuayled so mightely not because Christ is weake but because that Christians be wicked and theyr doctryne impure Our temples with Images our hartes with idolatry are poluted Our priestes stinck before God for adultry being restrayned from lawfull matrimony The name of god is in our mouthes but his fear is not in our harts We warre agaynst the Turke with our workes Masses traditions and ceremonies but we fight not agaynst hym with Christ and with the power of his glory whith if we did the field were wonne Wherfore briefely to conclude saying my iudgement in this behalfe what I suppose this hope I haue do beleue that when the Churche of Christ with the Sacramentes therof shal be so reformed that Christ alone shall be receaued to be our iustifier all other religions merites tradition images patrons and aduocates set a part the sword of the Christians with the strength of Christ shall soone vanquish the Turkes pride and fury But of this more largely in the processe of this story The sixte and last cause why I thinke the knowledge of the Turkes history requisite to be considered is this be cause that many there be which for the they be farther frō the Turkes and thinke therfore themselues to be out of daūger take little care and studye what happeneth to theyr other brethren Wherefore to the intent to excite theyr zeale and prayer to almighty God in this so lamentable ruin of Christes church I thought it requisite by order of history to geue this our natiō also something to vnderstand what hath bene done in other nations by these cruell Turkes and what detriment hath bene and is like more to happen by them to the Church of Christ except we make our earnest inuocatiō to almighty God in the name of hys sonne to stop the course of the deuill by these Turkes and to stay this defection of Christians falling daylye vnto them and to reduce them agayn to his fayth which are fallen frō him Which the Lorde Iesus of his grace graunt wyth speede Amen Before we enter into this story of the Turks and Saracens first let vs call to remembraunce the Prophecy and forewarning of S. Paule writing to the Thess. in his 2. Epistle in these words Be not moued nor troubled in your myndes eyther by preaching or by writing or by letter frō vs as though the day of the Lorde were at hande for the Lord will not come except there come a defection first and the wicked person be reuealed c. Of this defection sundry mindes there be of sundry expositours some thinking this defection to meane a falling away from the Empyre of Rome some from the obedience of the Pope But as S. Paul little passed vpon the outward glory of
to ouerrunne vs to lay our land waste to scatter vs amongest the Infidels the enemies and blasphemers of the sonne of God Nowe although these 4. families aboue mentioned long continued together in bloudy warres and deadly hatred yet one of them passed the rest in all crueltye and tyranny and subduing the other 3. familyes tooke vpon him the gouernement alone and so became the first Monarch or Emperour that reigned amoÌ„g theÌ„ called Ottomannus of whome all that raigned after him were called Ottomanni Who succeeding orderly of his lyne haue occupyed the same dominion and seate of the Turkes from the yeare of our Lord 1300. vnto this present time which haue bene to the number of 12. Of the which 12. in suche order as they liued and raygned I intend Christ so permitting scuerally and compendeously something to entreat briefely abstracting out of prolixe and â—edious writers such specialties as for vs Christians shall be chiefely requisite to be knowne ¶ Ottomannus the first great Emperour or Tyraunt of the Turkes THis Ottomannus was at the first of poore estate and obscure amongest the common sort of men comming of a base progeny and of rusticall parentes but through hys valiantnes and actiuity in warre he got him a great name amongest the Turkes For he being a man of fearce courage refusing no labour and delighting in warre and gathering together by great subtlety and multitude of common souldiours began to make warre and by conquestes and victories to aduaunce himselfe and his family Fyrst he began to robbe and spoyle with a great band of rouers and afterward he attempted to set vpon all men Neither did he vexe and destroy the Christians onely but set vpon his owne nation also and sought al occasion to subdue theÌ„ wholy vnto him For now the Princes and Captaynes of the Turkes inflamed with ambition and desire of rule began to fall out and contend among themselues in so much that they fell to domesticall and inward warre with all the power they could Ottomannus hauing this occasion very fitte meete to accomplishe that whiche he long had sought for gathering vnto him all such as he thought to be geueÌ„ to robbing and spoyling and sette all vpon mischiefe in short time began to grow in authority first set vpon certayn townes as he saw oportunity to serue him Of which towns some he tooke by force some by yelding other some he spoyled ouerthrew to terrify the rest thus laying the first foundation of his rising In the meane time the discorde whiche was among the Christians was no small aduauntage to this Ottomannus by occasion whereof he within x. yeres space subdued Bethinia and al the prouinces about Pontus Also Natolia which comprehendeth all the dominion of the Greekes within Asia Ancyra a City in Phrigia Sinope a Cittye in Galatia and Sabastia a Cittye in Capadocia and thus still preuayling he encreased in short time to a mightye power either through the secret iudgemente of God agaynst that nation or els because God woulde haue them so farre so cruelly to preuayle for the punishmen of the sinnes of other nations like as it was prophecyed before that such a kingdome there shoulde be of Gog and Magog This Ottomannus after he had raigned 28. yeares in the yeare of our Lord 1527. dyed and departed to his Mahumet leauing behind him three sonnes of whom Orchanes being the youngest killed his two brethren whilest they were at variaunce betwene themselues ¶ Orchanes the second Emperour after Ottomannus ORchanes the youngest of the sonnes of Ottomannus after he had slayne his two brethren tooke the regimeÌ„t of the turkes after his father Who after he had drawne to him the hartes of the multitude such as had theyr dispositions set vpon the liceÌ„tious life of warre coÌ„uerted his power further to enlarge his fathers dominion winning subduing Mysia Lydia Lycaonia Phrygia and Caria All whiche countryes being within the compasse of Asia vnto the sea side of Hellespontus and the sea Euxinus he added to the Turkishe Empyre Also he wanne Prusia which was the metropolitane City of Bithynia which theÌ„ he made the chiefe seate of the Turkes Empyre Besides these moreouer he conquered Nicea got Nicomedia all which were before Christian Cities regions And yet all this could not make the Christian Princes in Grecia to cease theyr ciuill warres to ioyne accord among themselues Such debate and variaunce was theÌ„ betwene CaÌ„tacuzenus on the Greeks part Paleologus the Emperor of Constantinople By reason whereof the turkes ayd was sent for out of Asia to helpe our Christians one to kil an other and at length to get all those partes of Europe from them both Who if they had according to theyr profession so well ioyned in brotherly vnity as they did in cruel hostility dissent neither had Orchanes so preuayled in gettynge Prusia from the Grecians neither had the turkes so soone presumed into Europe as afterward they did Orchanes after these victories when he had raigned 22. yeares was strokeÌ„ as some say with a dart in the shoulder at the siege of Prusia The opinioÌ„ of others is that he fighting against the TartariaÌ„s where he lost a great part of his army was there also slayne himselfe an 1349. ¶ Amurathes the 3. after Ottamannus THe Greeke writers doe holde that Orchanes had two sonnes Solimannus and Amurathes Of which two first Solimannus raigned albeit not long After him folowed Amurathes who after that Asia nowe was subdued by his predecessors sought by all meanes and wayes how to proceede further to inuade Europe To whose ambitious purpose the domestical warres of the Christians gaue vnprosperous occasion which occasion is thus declared Certaine discord fell betwene the princes of Greece whose captayne was Cantaguzenus and Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople WherupoÌ„ Paleologus for that he was not able to make his party good with the Grecians moste vnwisely sent for Amurathes to helpe him Who beinge glad to haue such an occasion offered which he so long had sought sent to ayde him 12000. Turkes into Thracia but first vsed all delayes he could of crafty pollicy to the entent that the Greekes first shoulde waste theyr strength and power vpon themselues whereby he might be more able afterward to set vpoÌ„ them and to accomplish his conceiued desire The Turkes thus being called into Europe by the Christians whether they tasting the sweetnesse of the soyle incensed Amurathes theyr Emperor to make inuasion or whether Amurathes of his owne head thought good to vse the time in the yeare of our Lord 1363. he came himselfe ouer into Europe with 60000. Turkes falling vpon the Grecians being wasted and spent with their long warres and battelles before The pretence of the deuilishe Turke was to ayd and to assist the Emperour Peleologus whether he would or no and to subdue such as had
fallen from him The Christian shippes of the Ligurians for money were hyred to conduct them ouer taking for euery souldiour a peece of gold Ex Pucer alijs Thus the Turkes armye being conueyed ouer by the Grecianssea called Hellespōtus first got Callipolis wyth other townes and Cityes bordering about the sea there planting themselues and preparing shippes of theyr own for transporting theyr munitions out of Asia aduaunced their power further into Thrasia and there wanne Philip polis then gotte Adrianopolis which was not farre from Constantinople there Amurathes made his chiefe seat Then beganne Paleologus the Emperour at lenth to bewayle his offer couenaunt made with Amurathes Whē the Turkes had expugned thus a greate part of Thrasia they extended forth theyr armye vnto Mysia whiche they soone subdued from thence proceding and conquering the Bessos and Triballos they entred into Seruia and Bulgaria where they ioyning battell with Lazarus Despota prince of Seruia and with other Dukes of Dalmatia and Epirus wanne of them the field put them to the worse where Lazarus Despota being taken and committed to prison ended his life This Lazarus had a certayne faythfull client or seruaunt who to reuenge his maisters death with a bolde courage although seing death before his eies yet ventred his life so far that he came to the tyraūt thrust him through with his dagger This Amurathes reigned 23. yeares and was slayne in the yeare of our Lord 1372. Baiazetes the 4. after Ottomannus THe power of the Turkes began to encrease in Europe what time Baiazetes the first of that name after the death of his father entred the possession of the turkes kingdome This Baiazetes had 2. brethrē Solimānus Sauces Whiche Sauces had his eyes put out by his father for striuing for the kingdome Solimānus was slayne of hys brother Thus Baiazetes beginning his kingdome wyth the murther of his brother reduced his Imperiall seat frō Prusia a city of Bithynia vnto Adrianople entēding with himself to subdue both Asia Europe to his own power First he set vpon the Seruians and Bulgarians thinking to reuenge his fathers death where he gaue the ouerthrow to Marcus Despota with all the nobility of the Seruians and Bulgarians and put all those partyes vnder his subiection vnto the fines and borders of the Illyrians All Thracia moreouer hee brought likewise vnder his yoke onely Constantinople and Pera excepted That done he inuaded the residue of Grecia preuaylyng agaynste the countryes of Thessalia Macedonia Phocides and Attica spoyling and burning as he passed without anye resistaunce and so returning with innumerable spoyle of the Christians vnto Adrianople layd siege to Constantinople the space of viij yeares and had expugned the same but that Paleologus beyng brought to extremitye was driuen to craue ayde of the frenchmen and of Sigismund the Emperour Who being accompanyed with a sufficient power of Frenchmen Germaynes came downe to Hūgaria toward Seruia agaynst the Turk Baiazetes hearing of theyr comming raised his siege frō Cōstantinople and with 60000. horsemen came to Nicopolis where he encountring with them ouerthrew all the Christian army tooke Iohn the Captaine of the French power prisoner Sigismundus which before in the Councell of Constance had burned Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage hardly escaped by flieng Baiazetes after the victory got carried away Duke Iohn with fiue other in hands into Prusia where before his face he caused all the other christian prisoners to be cut in peeces Afterwarde the sayde Iohn beeing raunsomed wyth 200000. crownes was deliuered Some authors referre this story to the time of Calepinus as followeth heereafter to be seene Baiazetes the cruell tirant after this victory wonne tirannie shewed vpon the Christians returned againe to his siege of Constantinople fully bending himselfe to cōquere and subdue the same whiche thyng no doubt he had accomplished but that the prouidence of God had founde such a meanes that Tamerlanes King of Parthia wyth an 100. thousand horsemen and swarmes of footemen like a violent floud ouerrunning Asia and pressing vpon Siria and Sebastia had taken Orthobules the sonne of Baiazetes prisoner and afterward slue him exercising the like crueltie vpō his prisoners as Baiazetes had done before vpon the Christians insomuch that he spared neither sexe nor age of the Turkish multitude of whome he caused xij thousand at one time to be ouerriden and troden downe vnder his horses feete By reason whereof Baiazets the tirant was enforced to raise his siege from Constantinople to returne his power into Asia where he neere the hill called Stella pitched his tents there to encounter with Tamerlanes The fight betweene these ij was long great on both sides which was in the yeare of our Lord 1397. and the second yeare after the slaughter of our Christians at Nicopolis in Ponnonia but the victorie of this battaile fell to Tamerlanes at lēgth In the which battaile as Munsterus writeth were slaine 2000000. Turkes Among whome Baiazetes the tirant hauing his horse slaine vnder him was takē prisoner and to make a spectacle of his wretched fortune was bounde in golden fetters and so beeing enclosed in an iron grate whome before all Grecia could not holde was ledde about and shewed through all Asia to be skorned laught at and moreouer was vsed in stead of a footestoole to Tamerlanes or a blocke as often as he mounted vpon his horse Some adde also that he was made like a dogge to feede vnder Tamerlanes table The tirannie of which Baiazetes against the Christians as it was not much vnlike to the crueltie of Ualerianus the Romaine Emperour aboue mentioned pag. 73. so neither was the example of his punishment much discrepant for as Sapores King of the Persians did then with Ualerianus in time of the eight persecution of the primatiue Church so likewise was Baiazetes this persecutor worthely handled by Tamerlanes king of the Parthians as in maner abouesayd Tamerlanes after thys conquest passed wyth hys army into Mesopotamia to Egypt and all Syria where he victoriously subduing the Cities and munitions of the Turkes at length also conqured Damascus In his sieges his maner was the first day to go all in white attire the seconde daye in red the third day in blacke signifieng thereby mercie the first daye to them that yeelded the seconde day the sword the third day fire and ashes At last after great victories and spoiles gotten of the Turkes he returned into his Countrey againe and there dyed anno 1402. Seb. Munsterus writing of this Tamerlanes recordeth that he had in his army 200. thousand men and that hee ouercame the Parthians Scythians Hiberians Albans Persians Medes and conquered all Mesopotamia and after he had also subdued Armenia passing ouer the riuer Euphrates with sixe hundred thousande footemen and 4000000. horsemen he inuaded all Asia Minor conquering and subduing from the floud Tanais vnto Nilus in
Egipt and was called terror orbis the terror of the world He lefte behinde hym two sonnes who falling in discorde for theyr possessions lost all agayne that their father gotte In the meane time Baiazetes in the second yeare of his captiuitie died leauing behind him diuers sonnes Iesus or Iosua the eldest Mulsumanes Moses Celebinus or Calepinus Iesus the yonger Mustaphas and Hali of whome first Iesus the eldest was ouercome and slaine of Mulsumanes which Mulsumanes afterwarde was deliuered to Moses his brother and by him was slaine likewise which Moses had also the like ende by his brother Calepinus hauing his necke broken with a bowe string which was then the vsuall maner among the Turkes in killing their brethren The same Calepinus sparing onely the life of Mustaphas his other brother condemned him to perpetuall prison Iesus the younger was Baptised shortly after departed at Constantinople In these such disorders and diuisions among the Turkes what occasions were geuen to the Christias to haue recouered agayne of the Turkes that they had lost if they had not bene either negligent or in their own priuate warres otherwise occupied with themselues ¶ Calepinus the 5. after Ottomannus CAlepinus or Celebinus was the sonne of Baiazetes and of foure brethren the eldest who beyng all taken captiues of the Parthians he onely escaped and obteined his fathers kyngdome This Calepinus encouraged by the sloth and negligence of the Princes of Europe and by the discord of the Grecians amongest them selues and other nations neare about them long troubled and vexed the Bulgarians Seruiās and Macedonians euen to the tyme of Sigismundus Which Sigismundus seyng now Baiazetes to be ouercome and taken of Tamerlane and the power of the Turkes weakened in Europe hauing such occasion offered him as it were from heauen to destroy and vtterly to roote out not onely out of Asia but also all Europe that barbarous nation and cruell enemies to the name and Religiō of Christ and also to reuenge the great slaughter and discomfiture of his army fighting before with Baiazetes at Nicopolis a Citie in Mysia with great power made warre agaynst Calepinus at Columbatium a Towne in Seruia as is also before mentioned pag. 719. but as vnluckely and with as little successe as he did before agaynst Baiazetes his father For in that battaile were slayne of the Christiās to the nūber of xx thousand and the rest vtterly discomfited the kyng himselfe escaping so hardly that he entred not agayne into his kingdome for the space of 18. monethes after Some write that this was done vnder Baiazetes other some referre this battaile to Amurathes but howsoeuer it was most pernicious was it to the Christiās He raigned but vi yeares and dyed very young an 1404. ¶ Orchanes and Moses his vncle the sixt after Ottomanus AFter the captiuitie of Baiazetes aboue mentioned histories diuersly doe dissent The Greeke writers making no mention at alof Calepinus onely make mētion of the sonnes of Baiazetes of the contention among them vntill the time of Muhumetes The Latin stories writing of the children of Baiezetes and of their succession doe not therein agree some affirmyng that Baiazetes had two sonnes Orchanes surnamed Calepinus Mahumetes his brother which within two yeares slew the sayd Calepinus and entred his dominion Other attribute to Baiazetes moe sonnes as is aboue rehearsed Some agayne doe geue to Baiazetes onely these two sonnes Celebinus and Mustaphas and hold that Calepinus or Celebinus had two sonnes to wit Orchanes and Mahumetes and adde moreouer that the sayd Orchanes beyng somewhat yoūg was slayne of his vncle Moses who gouerned but ij yeares For Mahumetes to reuenge his brothers death slew Moses and inuaded his dominion The Greeke stories make no mention at all of Orchanes ¶ Mahumetes the 7. after Ottomannus THis Mahumetes whether he was the sonne of Baiazetes or els of Calepinus conuerted to himselfe alone the kingdome or tyrāny rather of the murdering Turks Who afflicted the Christiās with sore warres within Europe especially the countrey called Wallachia lying not farre frō the floud Danubius betwene Hungary Thracia From thence he remoued into Asia where he recouered diuers partes in Galatia Pontus Capadocia Cilicia whiche before Tamerlanes had alienated from the Turkes This Mahumetes planted his chief Imperiall seate in Adrianople not farre from Constātinople within the countrey of Thracia In some writers the conflict betwene Sigismund the great Turke wherein the Christians were so discomfited is referred rather to this Mahumetes then to Calepinus of which conflict mention is aboue made in the story of Sigismundus pag. 719. This Mahumetes reigned as some say 14. yeares dyed in the yeare of our Lord. 1419. Other affirme 17. yeares ¶ Amurathes the second 8. after Ottmannus AMurathes as Philelphus sayth was the son of Celebinus as Laonicus Chalcondiles testifieth of Mahumetes whose son soeuer he was a wretched traunt he was and permitted as a scourge of God to correct the sins of the Christians In the story of Baiazetes mentiō was made before of Mustaphas his sonne who was cōdemned to perpetual prison by Calepinus his brother This Mustaphas escaping out of his brothers prison was conueied to the Grecians where he remained long in custody til at length they vnderstanding the purpose of Amurathes set him vp with sufficient habiliments and furniture of war to fight against the sayde Amurathes his nephew But in cōclusion he being not able to make his partie good came into the hands of his enemie and had his necke broke with a bowstring after the maner of the Turkish execution The Grecians then terrified with this sinister aduersity required truce of the Turke but when that would not be graunted they procured vnto them Mustaphas the other brother to Amurathes being of the age of xiij yeares who likewise being armed of the Grecians got the City of Nice in Bithynia from Amurathes his brother Albeit it was not long but he was circumuented in the same Citie and brought to Amurathes who caused him likewise to taste of the same whip as the other Mustaphas had done before Amurathes being now out of all feare and doubt of brethren kinsfolke to rise against him conuerted all his power against the Grecians and first raunging through out Thracia where diuers Cities yelded vnto him which before belonged to the Emperour of Constantinople frō thence he set forward to the noble and famous City Thessalonica being then vnder the league and protectiō of the Uenetians This Thessalonica is a Citie in Greece bordering vpon Macedonia to the Citizens wherof S. Paule writeth foreshewing vnto them in his 2. Epistle of a defection to come before the comming of the day of the Lord 2. Thess. 2. By the which apostacie or defection what the holy Apostle doth meane this story of the Turkes maye easely declare After Thessalonica was subdued Phocis with all the countrey about
Athens Beocia likewise Aetolia Acarnauia with all the region beyond Peloponesus vnto the coast of Corinth to whome S. Paule also wrote other two epistles were brought in bondage and slauery vnto the Turke In Epirus and in that quarter that adioyneth to Macedonia named Albania reigned then one Ioannes Castriotus who perceiuing himselfe too weake to matche with the Turkes power made with the Turke this cōuention that he should haue Croia a famous Citie in Grecia and also gaue to him his three sonnes for hostages to wit Constantinus Reposius and Georgius In this George such towardnes of noble courage such vigour of minde and strength of body singularly did appeare that the Turke caused him more freely to be instructed after the Turkish religion and maner in his owne court where he being traded vp did so shoote vp as well in feates of actiuitie as in strength of body that he excelled all his equals in so much that he was named Scanderbeins which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus After this Alexander was grown vp to mature ripenes of age and was well trained vp in feates of war he was sent out by the Turke to warre against Caramannus of Cilicia The Turkes enemy In which expedition he sped himselfe most manfully fighting hand to hande first with a footeman of Scythia then with an horseman of Persia being chalenged by them both to encounter first with the one after with the other whom he so valiantly ouerthrew the he wan great renoun with the Turk In so much that he trusting to the Turks fauour whē he heard of the decease of his father durst aske of the Turke the graunt of his fathers dominion to be giuen vnto him Which request although Amurathes y◠Turke did not denie him yet notwithstanding he perceiuing the matter to be dalied out with fayre wordes by subtill meanes and policie slipt out of the Turks court and came to Epirus his owne inheritance where first by forged letters he recouered Croia The other Cities of their voluntary minde yeelded themselues vnto him who then gathering vnto him the people of Epirus Macedonia which were not so many in nūber as with good willing minds they stucke vnto him so māfully and valiantly behaued himselfe that against all the puissance both of Amurathes and also of Mahumete he mainteined his owne repulsed their violence and put to flight their armies many yeres together But to returne againe to the course of Amurathes victories after he had thus preuailed as is before signified agaynst the East parts of Europa and Grecia and had conuented thus for the dommion of Epirus he inuaded Iluricum otherwise called now Sclauonia conteining in it Dalmatia Croacia Isiria and Liburnia which Countreys after he had spoiled and wasted he continued his course to Albania and Bosna In which regions when he had subdued a great part and had led away an innumerable multitude of captiues he moued further to Walachia and Seruia vpon hope to conquere all Pannonia There reigned at the same time in Seruia a certayne prince named Georgius Despota who made great sute to the Turke for truce peace promising to giue his daughter to mariage for by y◠Turkes lawe they may marry as many wiues as they lust It was not long after Amurathes had maried the daughter of Despota but he contrary to his league and promise made warre vpon Despota his father in law and expelled him out of his kingdome taking from him diuers Cities as Scopia Nouomonte Sophia and all Misia Georgius himselfe fled into Hungary leauing behind him his son to defed the town of Sinderonia Amurathes vnderstāding of the flight of Despoto his father in law compassed the Citie of Sinderonia with a strōg siege which whē he in few daies had expugned he tooke his wiues brother sonne of Despota and without regard of all mercy and affinitie after the barbarous tyranny of the Turkes put out his eies with a basen red hoat set before his eies and after that led him about with him in derision and despite of his cowardly father Ex Christof Rhicherio Gallo Gasp. Peuc alijs Seruia beeing thus wonne and gotten Amurathes thinking to go further into Hungary besieged the Citie called Belgradum and no doubt had also suppressed the same had not the prouidence of God found a meanes that partly through slaughter of his men partly for lacke of victuall and other forage he was compelled to raise his siege and retire In the meane time Ioannes Huniades of whom mention was made before pag. 720. had got great victories against the Turkish power and had recouered parte of Seruia and all Muldauia against whome Amurathes the Turke with a mighty army moued into Pannonia But Huniades with the power and ayde of Ladislaus King of Polonia but specially by the power of the Lord did soone infringe the puissance of the Turke and gaue him the ouerthrow recouering vnto the Christians the greatest part of Seruia and Bulgaria In this battaile Huniades had fiue sundry conflictes with the Turks vpō one day and with fiue victories put them to the worse and toward night did so discomfit and ouerthrow the great captaine of Amurathes called Bassa the Duke of Anatolia which is otherwise named Asia Minor that he slue of the Turks that day to the number of 30. thousand Amurathes although he was not a little thereat discouraged yet dissembling his feare with stout counteuace sent for Carambeius his principal stay captaine with a new power brought out of Asia to assist him in his warres Then Carambeius in the downes of Trasiluania Ladislaus the foresaid king of Polonie the Lord so working through the industrie of Ioannes Huniades so receiued with such celerity oppressed him vnprouided that all his stout sturdy army either was slaine downe right or else put to flight disparcled Carambeius the Captaine being himselfe taken prisoner in the same field These victories of Huniades strooke no little terror to Amurathes in somuch that for distresse of minde he was ready to destroy himselfe as some do write but being cōfirmed by Helibeus Bassa his coūsailer he kept himselfe wtin the streites of the moūt Rhodope Who then hearing that Caramannus inuaded the same time the countrey of Bithinia and Pontus in Asia was glad to take truce wyth Ladislaus and Huniades vpon such conditions as they listed to make themselues which conditions were these that Amurathes should depart clearely from all the region of Sernia and should remoue from thence all his garrisons which were placed in the Castles and forts of the same Also he should restore George Despota which is to say Prince of Seruia vnto his possession and set his children free whome he had in captiuitie and restore them to their inheritance Item that he shoulde make no more claime nor title to the countrey of Moldonia aboue mentioned nor to that part of Bulgrauia which he
to Zelymus and so beheaded whose hed being first caried about Asia for a triumph was afterward sent to the Senate of Uenice for a terrour vnto them The eldest sonne of Aladulus scaping the handes of his pursuers fled into Egypt This battaile thus fought and ended Zelymus after he had deuided the kingdome of Aladulus into three prouinces went to Lycaonia from thence to Europe there to defend the Citie of Samandria against the Christians in Hungary But the Hungarians being sone repressed by Iuno Bassa the Turkes captaine great preparation began to be made by the Turks against the confines of Seruia bordering vpō Hungary The terrour whereof stirred vp Maximilian the Emperour and Ladislaus king of Hungarie and Sigismundus Kyng of Polonie to consult together and conioyne their power for defence of Christendome But through new incumberances incident the turke leauing Europe made haste againe into Asia to renue againe his warres against the Persians who had made a vow not to geue ouer that warre before Ismael was ouerthrowne But before he entred that warre first he sent hys messengers to the Sultane of Egypte requiring hym not to entermedle in that warre for this sultane before had promised to assist the Persians against the Turke The name of the Sultane which reigned then in Egypt was Campson set vp by the Mamaluci These Mamaluci were a certain order amongst the Egyptians much like to the Ianizarites about the Turke being the childrē of christen men and after denyeng Christ were the chefest doers in y◠Sultanes court and being growne into a great multitude did degenerat into a turkish barbarity or rather became wors then Turkes This Campson vnto the messengers of the Turke gaue this aunswere againe that vnlesse he woulde leaue of his warre against Ismael and restore the sonne of Aladulus otherwise he woulde not lay downe his armor Zelymus being incensed not a little wyth this insolent aunswere of the Sultane leauing all other warres aside with great celeritie aduanced hys power against the Sultane Which Sultan partly through the falshode of his captaine Caierbeius partly by the sodeinnesse of the Turkes comming not farre from the citie of Damascus encoūtred with the turke and there ouerthrowne from his horse being a fatte and grose body and falling vnder his horse and his horse also falling vpon him was quashed in peces and so died which was the yere of our Lord. 1516. Mamalucie of whome more then a M. in thys battaile were slaine flyeng from thence to Memphis set vp Tomoumbeius in stede of Campson whose captaine Gazelles was ouercome at the City of Gaza he afterward himselfe driuen out of Memphis where a great part of the Mamaluci were destroyed Then Tomoumbeius flying ouer the floud Nilus renued his army agayne but in the ende was discomfited and chased into a marish where hee was found standing in the water vp to the chinne and so being brought to Zelymus was put to the rack and great tormentes to make him confesse where Campsons treasures were But when he would not declare he was caryed about the Towne with a halter about his necke hanged vp vpō a hie gibber for a spectacle to all Egypt which was the yeare of our Lorde 1517. And thus were the two Sultanes in Egypt destroied with the Mamaluci whych there had borne the rule in Egypt the space of 243. yeares The progenie of the whych Mamaluci remaining of the warres the Turke commaunded in pryson gates of Alexandria to be cut in peces Zelymus frō thence triumphing departed to Constantinople entending to spend the rest of his time in persecuting the Christians But in that meane space he was stroken with a cankerd sore rotting inward and died after hee had raigned 7. yeares like a beast in the yeare of our Lord. 1520. The raigne of this Turke was but short in number of yeres but in number of his murthers and cruel bloudshed it might seme exceeding long which liued more like a beast then a mā for he neuer spared any of hys frends or kinred His father first he poysoned his brethren and al his cosins he quelled leauing none of all his kinred aliue Moreouer his chief and principal captaines for smal occasions he put to death as Mustapha Calogere Chendeme Bostāg hys sonne in law and Iunobassa It is said moreouer that he entended the poysoning of his owne sonne Solyman sending vnto him a shirt infected with poison because he seemed something freely to speake against the cruel demeanor of his father But by the meanes of hys mother the gifte being suspected was geuen to an other which was his Chamberlaine who putting on the shirt was strucken with the poyson therof and therewith all died As touching thys Turke Zelymus by the way heere may be noted how the secret prouidēce of the Lord kept hym occupied with hys Turkish warres at home while that the reformation of christian religion here in Europe the same time begō by Martin Luther might the more quietly take some roring without disturbance or interruption For so it appeareth by the computation of time that in the dayes of this Zelymus Martin Luther first began to write against the Popes indulgences which was in the yeare of oure Lord. 1516. Solymannus the 12. after Ottomannus SOlymannus the onely sonne of Zelymus succeded after hys fathers death who in the first beginning seemed to some to be simple and shepish and not mete for the turkish gouernmēt Wherfore certain of his nobles cōsulting how to depose him entended to set vp an other Emperour In which conspiracy especially are named Caierbeius Gazelles This Caierbeius was he that betraied before Campson the Sultane of Egypt to Zelymus as is aforesayde who nowe also being in consultation with Gazelles other about this matter detected thē also vnto Solyman Wherfore the sayd Gazelles and his fellowes being thus detected were put to death by Solyman declaring thereby that he was not so shepish as he was thought of them to be as also by his acts afterward did more appeare Solymannus after thys execution done vpon the conspiratours taking his voiage into Europe first besieged Belgradum which being a Citye in Hungarie was the strongest forte of all the Romaine Empire and the chiefe defence at that time of al christendom which also being assaulted before time by Amurathes the 2. was valiantly defended by Ioannes Huniades as is aboue specified But here nowe lacked suche a one as Huniades was For the kingdome of Hungary at that time was vnder y◠gouernment of Ludouicus a yong king vnexpert and of a simple wit Whom other Princes specially the couetous church men did so pil and pol that they left hym nothing but only the bare name and title of his kingdom Wherby he being vnfurnished both of men and mony was vnable to match with such an enemie An other vauntage also the Turkes had in besieging of
and by reason of their multitude ouercharged their horsemen Amongst whom was slaine the same tyme the Archb. Frier aforesayd wyth the Bishops of Strigone and Uaradine many other nobles besides Also the kyng himselfe being destitute of hys necessary aide and succour was compelled to flie into a marish where he falling from his horse being heauy loden with his harneis was not able to rise againe but there miserably perished Solyman the Turke marueiled at the foolyshnesse of Ludouike the King who wyth so small an armye woulde presume to encounter wyth such a great hoste of two hundreth thousande This battaile in Hungarie was fought Anno. 1526. After the deceasse of Ludouicke Ferdinandus succeded in the kingdome being Duke of Austria and king of Hungarie Then Solyman setting contention betwixt Ioannes Uaiuoda and Ferdinandus for the kingdom of Hungarie spedde his viage to the Citie of Buda whych also in short time he made to be yelded vnto hym vpon condition that they should escape with their liues and goodes whych cōdition some say he kept and some say he did not Besides Buda diuers places and munitiōs the sayd Turk contrary to his league made before did spoile and waste as Varadinum Quinque Ecclesias and other fortes and munitions moe bordering about the coastes of Hungary In the yeare of our Lorde 1529. Ferdinandus king of Hungarie aforesaid recouered diuers holdes gotten of the Turke before and also warring againste Ioannes Uaiuoda his enemy with whom he had variance as ye heard before expulsed him out of his kingdom Wherupon Uaiuoda flying to the Turke desired his ayde The Turke glad to take that occasion wyth great preparatiō addressed himselfe to returne into Hungary where he recouering againe the Citie of Buda which Ferdinandus had gotten from him a little before remooued his armye into Austria spoyling and destroying by the way all that came to hys handes shewing many examples of great cruelty tyranny most lamentable to here and vnderstand For of some he put out their eies of some he cutte of their handes of some their eares and noses and of their children he cut of theyr priuy members The maidens he corrupted the matroues had their brestes cut of and such as were with childe were ript and their childrē cast into the fire And these examples of horrible and barbarous tyranny thys wretched Turke perpetrated by the way comming toward Uienna a noble City in Austria besides the captiues which he tooke by the way and led into seruitude moste miserable mounting to the number of 30. thousand Among other holdes by the waye as the Turke came there was a castle called Altenburch strongly by nature situated and by art defenced which castle the Turke entending not to ouerpasse because he woulde make all thynges sure behinde him began to make hys assault and lay hys ordinance against it The warders and kepers of the Castle so soone as the Turks began to lay siege against them making no resistance of a womanly cowardnes sent their messengers to the Turke to yelde themselues ready to doe his commaundement and further him with their vitaile Amongest whome were three hundreth Bohemians who were commaunded to followe the hoste that the Turke by them might learne what strength was in the city of Uienna also where the king was and what was to be done for the winning therof Of whom when the Turke had vnderstanding howe all things stoode and how that there was but 20. thousand men in Uienna able to beare armour and that other cities of Austria would soone yeelde if that were gotten and that Uienna was vitailed but for 2. monthes and that the king was of late in Boheme thus the Turk of all things being certified hauing no doubt in hys minde of victorie made speede toward Uienna and first comming to Neapolis a city but 8. miles distant from Uienna he required them to yelde themselues who notwithstanding withstoode them and repulsed them valiantly Then the Turkes assigned a place for the pitching of their tents whych because it semed some thing too litle for such a great multitude they tooke in more ground to the compasse of 7. miles circuit The multitude of his armye which hee there planted is accompted of some to extend to 250. M. souldiours The Turke thus being planted made daily excourses ouer all the countrey of Austria specially about the citie of Uienna wasting and spoyling with great crueltye murther amongst the poore Christians Moreouer to make al things more sure toward the preparation of the siege scoutes were sent abroade and bushments were laid about the riuer side of Danubius to prouide that no aid nor victual should be brought to Uienna So it pleased the prouidence of the Lord who disposeth all things that 3. daies before the comming of the Turk Fridericus the Earle Palatine which was then assigned by that Empire to take the charge of Uienna was come downe by the riuer of Danubius with 14. M. and with a certaine troupe of horsemen well apoynted and picked for the purpose After the comming of thys Fridericke prouision also of victuall was appoynted to followe shortly after by the sayd riuer of Danubius In the meane time they which had the cariage trāsporting therof hearing how the waies were laid all the passages 10. miles about Uienna stopped by the Turkes although they knew the city to stand in great nede of vitail yet seing there was no other remedy rather then it should come to the ennemies hande thought it best to sincke theyr boats with their cariage and so they did Wherby all be it the christians wanted their reliefe yet were the Turks disappoynted of their pray purpose The captains whych had the keeping of the City which were chiefly Fridericus the Earle Palatine Gulielmus Rogendorffius and Nicolaus erle of Salme seing themselues so straightned contrary to their expectation although they had great causes to be discouraged yet calling their courage vnto them they consulted together for the best way to be taken and seing that the little city Neapolis aboue mentioned being 8. miles distaunt from them so valiauntly withstoode the Turkes that in one day they sustained 7. greuous assaultes against all the maine force of the Turkish armye by their example and manfull stāding being the more animated and encouraged thought to abide the vttermoste before they woulde geue ouer and first plucking downe all the suburbes and buildings wythout the walles wherby the enemy myght haue any succor they willed all the farmers inhabitantes about the Citye to saue themselues and to bryng in theyr goods wtin the walles Such places as were weake wythin the walles they made strong About the towers munition of the walles they prouided rampires bulwarks distant 80. foote one from another to kepe of the shot and euery man hadde hys place and standing awarded to hym vpon the wal and his office appoynted what
to do but especially that side of the City which lyeth to the riuer of Danubius they fortified after the best wise for that way only now remained for vitail to be transported from the Bohemians vnto them Wherefore 8. enâ—ignes were assigned to the keping of the bridge and in the plaine which was lyke an Iland inclosed wythin the riuer a sufficient garrison of horsmen were placed lying within the gunshot of the city to the entent that if any graine or vitail were sent from the Bohemians they myght prouide the same safely to be brought into the Citie These things thus being disposed and set in order L. William Rogendorffe to assay the strength of the Turks made diuers rodes out wyth his horsemen albeit much against the mindes of the Austrians who knowing the maner of the Turkes thought it better to suffer them while either wyth time they myght be ouerweried or for lacke of victuals consumed Among many and sondry skirmishes which the Christians had with the Turkes one especially was to our men vnprosperous in whych certaine of the horsemen espying a small troupe of the Turkes scattering abroad from theyr company made out after them who sodenly guilefully were inclosed and circumuented by the Turks before they could recouer the gates of the citie and so were all taken aliue Of whome 3. were sent from the Turkes into the Citye to declare to the Uiennians what strength they had seene in the campe of their aduersaries and to sollicite them to yelde their city for feare of punishment which would followe The residue they reserued to torments and punishment whom in the sight of the whole army and of the Christians whych should tell the same to the Citizens they caused euery man to be drawne with 4. horses a piece and so to be dismeÌ„bred and pluckt a sonder After thys done the barbarous Turk immediatly sent his Herold to talke wyth the Captaines of the City whether they would yelde the City vpon honest conditions or els would abide the arbitrement of warre If they would gently submit them selues they should haue all gentlenes to them shewed If they would be stubburne and stand to their defence he wold also stand to hys siege begon so that he neither woulde spare man woman nor childe To thys the captaines aunswered againe that they were contented Solyman to stand to his siege begon and to do his vttermost what he would or what he coulde As for them they were at a poynte to defende them selues and their Citie so long as they might the euent fall of victory to be doubtfull and many times so to happen that they whych begin the warre are wearied sooner then they which be prouoked neither againe that they were so vnmindfull eyther of themselues or of their country but that they did remember well what they are and what they be called named to be Germaines who vse alwayes first to assay the aduersary what he is able to doe and not rashly to committe themselues into their enemies handes Solymannus not a little disdaining at thys aunswer first burning and consuming all the villages houses and places round about the city infecting also the springs and fountaines whych gaue water into the Citye and so stopping al passages that no reliefe should haue way vnto theÌ„ began with angry moode to approche more neare to the Citie with 3. great campes sending them worde in skorne and contumely by one of his captiues that if they stood in nede of helpe of soldiors he would send vnto them the 300. Bohemians mentioned a little before to aid them in theyr defence To whom the Palatine directed answer again that they had moe soldiours in the City then they neded As for the Bohemians which had yelded themselues he might do wyth them what he would for Uienna stoode in no great neede of them In the meane time a messenger comming from Ferdinandus was priuily let in by night into the Citie which brought word that they should play the men in keping out the enemy a while for it would not be long but both Ferdinandus and Carolus his brother with the streÌ„gth of all Germanie would be ready to rescue them At whych message the hearts of the soldiours began somwhat to be cheared and to contemne the huge multitude of the aduersaries being so great as they neuer did beholde nor did euer almoste heare of before The largenesse of whose army extended to no lesse in compasse as is aboue sayde then of 7. miles round about the Citie walles Long it were to recite the whole order of thys terrible siege with all the partes and circumstances therof Briefly to touch so much as shal suffice for this history with fewer words then were stripes geuen at the siege thereof thys is to be iudged and confessed whosoeuer beholdeth the noÌ„ber and fiercenesse of the Turkes the absence of the king Ferdinandus the lacke of prouision and vitaile within the city the noise of the gunnes the violence of the shot the terror of the sight and yet no succour sent vnto them that the custody of that city was no mans doing but the arme only of the Lord God of hostes according to the true saying of the Psalme Unlesse the Lorde doe keepe the Citie the watchmen watch in vaine which watch to saue it Unles the Lord doe build the house the builder striueth in vayne whych taketh vpon hym to builde it Experience whereof in keping thys citie may well appeare First Solymannus bending hys shotte and ordinance against the City beate downe to the ground the vaÌ„mures with all the vttermost suburbs of the city and that in suche a short moment of time that the hearts of the Uiennians a little before refreshed were now as much appaled agayne with feare misdoubting wyth themselues least the Turke with the same celerity and violence woulde haue preuailed against the inwarde walles as he did in beating down the outward vamures And no doubt the same time the Turk had put the city in great hazard had not night commynge on broken of the siege for that day In the meane time the Citizens laboured all night in repairing and refreshing the wals to make all things sure against the next assault The next day early in yâ— morning the Turks approching the city againe with a new assault thinking to scale the walles were so repulsed manfully resisted by the Germaines that vnneth any ditches aboute the walles could be sene for the bodies of the dead Turkes wherwith they were replenished so that the Turks were faine to fight standing vpon the bodies of them which wer slaine By the which calamitie the force of the enemye was not a little abated It happened the same time that a companye of the Turkes being spied oute of the Citie wandering oute of order the Captaine Rogendorffius wyth two legions of horsemenne issuing out of the Citie gate called Salmaria and so passing closely
soldiers shewed to them the great Turkes message and to animate encourage them declared that the oportunitie of the time presēt was not to be neglected neither could they now wtout great shame geue ouer after so many assaultes attempted Who if they would sustein but one brunt more the victory were in their owne handes The townesmen he saide were wasted and their victualles spent and the more to enflame their mindes he promised them not onely great thanks and reward of their Emperour but also the whole spoyle of the Citie in recompence of their trauaile But when all thys could not stir vp the sturdy stomacks of the tired Turkes vsing compulsion where perswasion would not serue he appoynted a number of horsmen to be set at their backs wherby to enforce them either to go forwarde or if they denied with gunnes and speares to destroy them The Turkes seeing themselues in such a strait that whether they went or taried it was to them like perill yet woulde they not set forwarde except the Captaine woulde take the vēture before them Who warding forward in his array thus spake vnto his felows saying Do you forsake your faith allegeance and betray the Emperor of Constantinople vnto the Christians if you wil but I will discharge my duety towardes the commune wealth and my Emperour and with that worde auaunced his ensigne making toward the city walles Whō when other folowed stil mo and mo pressed after so it came to pas that whole routs of them were ouerthrowen slain of our men vpon the wals before it was knowne what they meant Other terrified by their example gaue backe and left their array and wineding them selues by bie wayes and vnder couert of hilles retourned againe into their tentes and so came it to passe that the strength of the ennemies daily more and more decreasing they had lesse hope euery day more then other of obtaining the Citie For besides the innumerable slaughter of Turkes vpon the walles the townesmen also watching the forragers and purueyers of the Turkes as they raunged about for victual for the campe euer as occasion serued them did compasse them about and so encountered with them by the way that of a whole Legion scarly the tenth part returned again to their felowes aliue by meanes wherof the courage of the enemies began greatly to faint Wherby such a maruelous alteration hapned that as our mē began to receiue more hope and courage so the Turkes began still more to droupe and to languish wyth dispaire so that at length skarce durst they appeare wythout the bounds where they were entrenched but onely in light skirmishes when they were prouoked by our men to come out and to shew them selues Solymannus perceiuing his soldiers thus daily to go to wracke of whome he had lost already more then 80. W. and that wyth long tarying he could do no good being also in lacke of forrage for that the countrey about hym was wasted beginneth to consult with hys captaines counsailors what remained best to be done Of whom the most parte aduised hym to raise his siege and betime to prouide for hymselfe Which to doe many causes there were that mooued hym First the losse of his men which daily were cut frō him by great numbers besides them which lay in hys campe wounded or sicke or famished Secondly lacke of perueyance Thirdly the approching nere of winter But the chiefest cause was for that he heard Friderike Palatine aboue mētioned cōming with a great army at Ratisbone towardes Uienna and there had done great molestation to a greate number of the Turks forragers whom by the way he preuented and so enclosed in the woods that he slew them Wherof when Solyman had intelligence thinking it not best to abide the comming of the Palatine made hast wyth bagge and baggage to remooue hys campe and to retire and first sending away his cariage before him made speede hymself with his army to follow shortly after The Uiennians when they heard of the remoouing away of the Turkes although at the first they scarsly beleeued it to be true being afterwarde certified out of doubt both of their remouing and also of the order therof how it was in a maner of a flight or chase were greatly desirous to make out of the City after them Wherein albeit the presence of the Palatine wyth his armie if hee had bene there present might haue stand them in great stead yet notwithstanding they tooke the oportunitie of the time present and issuing out of the Citie in moste speedy wise set after them with their horsemen and first ouerpassing the tentes where the Turkes had pitched their stations or pauillions for hast of the way they made such pursute after them that wythin litle time they ouertooke the rereward or latter ende of the armie whereof they made suche hauocke and destruction that as the author reporteth there was neuer a shotte of the pursuers nor weapon drawen nor stroke strucken which light in vain Which was no hard thing for our men to doe For as the Turkes in their flight went scattered out of order aray neither woulde they in the fore rancke being so farre off from ieopardy retourne backe to helpe their felowes it was easie for our men without resistance to come vpon their backes as they would Yet notwythstanding in long pursute when our men could not see the cariage of the Turkes which was woont in armies to come away behinde after the hoast and suspecting as trueth was some ambush to be left in priuie wayte behinde them to come betwixt them and home called themselues to retraite and consulted vpon the matter thinking good first to sende out certaine scoures to espie and bring them word where the enemies lay what was the number of them Wherof when intelligence was geuē them that the remnaunt of the Turkes army was remayning in the tentes behind word was sent to their fellowes in Uienna to issue out and to ioyn also with them against the tayle of the turkes whiche had entrenched themselues within the campe Other were appoynted to followe the chase least peraduenture the turks seeing our men to recule backe might returne again vpon thē help their felowes Which thinges being thus ordered and appoynted in the meane time while part of the Uienians were houering after the mayne armye the rest encountered with them that were left in the campe Who seeing themselues ouermatched first defenced theyr campe with a deepe ditch Bulwarke to delay the time vntill some helpe might come to them from the army Secondly they directed messengers to the Christians to entreate for peace Thirdly they conueied their priuy letters vnto Solyman for speedy ayde and rescue But all the wayes and passages being stopped by the Christians there letters were intercepted and so the miserable Turkes being destitute of all hope sucour seing no other remedy made out of theyr campe
hugenes of the Turkes armye conteining in it 220. thousand fighting men was so discouraged and put out of hope and hart that the b. â—h and chiefe nobles of the town fled before the ieoperdy the rest of the coÌ„mons which were partly preuented by the sodein comming of the turkes partly for pouerty could not auoid sent theyr messengers to the Turke to yealde and surrender the towne vppon promise of life vnto his handes Whose promise how firme it stood the story leaueth it vncertaine This is affirmed that three dayes after the yelding of this Quinquecclesiensis neuer a Turke durst enter the Cittie an 1543. Ex Ioan. Mart. Stella alijs The next fort or holde gotten by the Turkes in Hungary was Soclosia The towne at the first inuasion of the Turkes was wonne sackte and fiered The castle within the towne did something hold out a tyme and first requiring truce for 14. dayes to see what ayd should be sent vnto them and to deliberate vpon the conditions that should be proposed vnto theÌ„ after the 14. daies expired they trusting to the situation and munitioÌ„ of the place which was very strong began for a certayne space stoutly to put back the enemy But afterward seeing their walles to be battered theyr foundations to shake for the Turke had set xij thousand vnderminers vnder the diches of the castle their strength to diminishe and misdoubting themselues not to be able long to hold out agreed in like maner to yeld them selues vpon condition to escape with life goods Which condition of sauing theyr goodes was the loosing of theyr lyues especially of the richer sort For the Turkes perceauing by that condition that they were of wealth and substaunce omitting the inferiour or baser sorte fell vpon the wealthy men for their riches and slue them euery one an 1543. Ibid. In the which his history this is also to be noted that during the time while the castle of Soclosia was besieged the villages pages round about the same came of theyr own accord submitting and yelding themselues vnto the Turke bringing in as they were commanded all kynd of victuall and forage into the Turkes campe Which done Solyman the Turke commaunded all the head men of the pages to appeare before hym whiche humbly obeyed and came Then the turke warned them to returne agayne the next day after euery one bringing with him his inferiour retinue and houshold seruauntes Whiche when they had with like dilligence also according to his commaundemeÌ„t accomplished the turke immediately commaunded them euery one in the face of hys whole army to be slayn and so was this theyr reward Which reward the more that it declareth the bloudy crueltie of the turke the more encourage it may minister to our men the more constantly to wtstand him Ex Martino Stella An other strong town there is in HuÌ„gary named Strigonium distant from Buda aboue sayde the space of fiue Dutch miles agaynst the whiche the Turkes made great preparation of ordinaunce and all other instruments of artillary necessary for the siege therof Which cittie in like maner began also to be compassed and inclosed by the turks before it could be sufficiently prepared garnished of our meÌ„ but that the archbishop onely of Strigon priuely conueyed vnto them 200. Oxen. Such was then the negligence of Ferdinandus king of Hungary which so slenderly looked vnto the necessary defence of his townes and cities More ouer such was the discorde then of christen kinges Princes which in their ciuile dissension and warres were so occupied and hoate in needeles quarrels that they had neyther leasure nor remeÌ„braunce to help in tyme there where true neede required Which slender care and cold zeale of the Christian rulers not in tendering the publicke cause while they contend in priuate trifles hath caused the Turke to come so farre as hee hath and yet farther is like vnlesse the mercy of the Lord doe helpe more then our dilligence One of the chiefe captaynes within the Cittye was Martinus Lascanus a Spanyard The Turkes in the beginning of the siege began first to attempt the Cittizens with fayre wordes and accustomed promises to yelde and gently to submit themselues But they not ignoraunt of the Turks promises wisely refused and manfully stood so long as they coulde to the defence of their citty now and then skirmishing with them in out corners and killing certayne numbers of them sometime with their shot disturbing their munitions breaking the wheeles of their gunnes c. Three speciall meanes the Turkes vse in winning great fortes and cities great multitude of souldiors great ordinaunce and mortarie peeces the third is by vndermyning All which here in the siege of this Cittie lacked not This siege continued vehement a certaine space in whiche the Strigonians had borne out foure strong assaultes and slue many thousandes of the turkes till at length the turkes eyther departing away or els seeming to depart vnto Buda the people at last being so perswaded and made to beleue of some chiefe rulers of the citty peraduenture not the truest men the citizens being erected with hope and comforte and singing Te Deum as though the city had bene free from all daunger sodenly by whose counsaile it is vnknowen conueyed themselues all out of the Citty 300. horsemen also passed ouer the riuer and departed The ItaliaÌ„s which were vnder FraÌ„ciscus Salamanca a Spanish captayne hardly coulde be perswaded by him to abide whiche were in all scarse 600. Within 3. daies after 300. Germaine souldiours with 2. ships laden with shot pouder artillery were priuily let into the town So that of our men al there were scarse 1300. souldiors Who seing the small quantitie of their number burning and casting downe the towne suburbes tooke theÌ„ to the castle from whence they beate of the turkes valiantly with theyr ordinaunce a good space and with wyld fire destroyed great companies of theÌ„ till at last they seyng theyr walles to fayle them and the whole castle to shake by vndermyning but especially by the working of a certayne Italian surnamed Presbyter they gaue ouer Thys Italian whether for feare or falshood secretly vnknowing to the rest of the souldiours accompanied with two other conueyed himselfe down from the walles being brought into the tentes of the next captayne or Bassa of the turkes there in the name of all hys fellowes conuented with the turkes to geue vp to them the Castle wherupon the turkes were bid to cease the shooting This Italian shortly after with two other turkes was sent backe to Salamanca hys Captayne with the Turkes message The goyng out of this Italian being priuy to the residue of hys fellowes coÌ„trary to the lawes and discipline of warre although it seemed to come of hys own head yet for so much as the other souldiours were not sure but rather suspected lest the other Italians his countreymen had beene in some
parte of consent therein and would take his part neither durst offer him any harme for that his doing nor yet could wel aduise with themselues what was best to do for feare of priuy confederacie within themselues Thus while Lascanus the chiefe captaine of the Christians aforesayd with his fellowe souldiours were in a mase what to doe or not to do in the meane time came one running who geuing a signe both to the Christians and the Turkes to hold theyr hands and weapons for that it was against all lawe of warre to fight after peace and truce taken our men as they were commaunded went into the inward tower The turkes in the meane time had got into the Castle and occupyed all the vtter parties Then was Salamanca by the consent of the rest sent out to the Turk who there being stayde that night the next morrowe the Turkes bull or warant was sent into the Castle permitting free libertie to the Christians to depart with bag and baggage Who now beyng ready to depart first were coÌ„maunded by the turkes compassing them round about to cast from them theyr dagges launces and battaile axes into the trench Then comming to the gate to go out theyr swordes were taken from them looking then for nothing but present death At last wheÌ„ they were come a little further other were sent to them to discharge them of theyr helmettes their tergattes currettes and what soeuer peece of harnes was about them Whereupon great feare came vpon them least some great cruelty should be shewed vpon them SolymaÌ„ after he had long deliberated with himself whether to kil theÌ„ or not at last contrary to all expectatioÌ„ granted theyr liues but before they should be dismissed he first caused them in derision of Christianitie to be bayted with scornes and mockes throughout all the Turkish army and so the next day commaunded them being stript out of theyr coats and apparell to be reduced againe into the castle by companies setting ouer them certayne turkes with cudgels battes to lay vpon their backes and sides causing them to bury the dead carcases and to gather vp the rubbish broken downe from the castlewalles and to scoure the ditches Which done the next day following he demaunded of them by an interpreter whether they would enter wages with hym take horse and armour to serue hym in his Warres which condition diuers for feare were contented to take seyng no other remedy to auoyd present death Some neyther by manasing wordes nor for any feare of death coulde be compelled thereunto of whom certayn which stoode stoughtly in refusing thereof were presently slayne whome I may worthely recite in the number and catalogue of holy martyrs Of the foresayde christians part were caryed ouer the riuer of Danubius not without great vilany contumely most despitefull For some had theyr wiues taken from them and caryed away some had theyr wyues rauished before theyr face and such as made or shewed any resistance therat had their wiues before them cast into the riuer and drowned also theyr infantes and yong children beyng appoynted by the turkes to the abhominable order of the Ianizarites mentioned before pag. 736. theyr parentes not consenting thereunto were precipitate and throwne into the riuer and drowned All whiche thinges are testified by Iohn Martinus Stella in hys Epistles in print extant written to his two brethren William Michaell c. Whiche Mart Stella moreouer this addeth affirmeth that he hymselfe being the same time at Uienna did see one of the foresaid wiues who being holden fast by the heare of the head yet notwithstanding hauing her heare pluckt off cast her selfe into the riuer Danubius for the singuler loue to her husband and so swamme to the shippe where he was And thus this miserable company of Germaynes Spanyards and ItaliaÌ„s mixt together macerate with labours with hunger pyned with watchinges dolours and sorow consumed came at length to Schinda When the tidings therof was noysed at Uienna partly with feare and dread partly with indignation all mens hartes were moued vexed diuersly Some thought them not worthy to be receiued into their citty shewing themselues so dastardly and cowardly Other thought agayne that mercy was to be shewed vnto them and commended their fact for that they being so few vnfurnished of ayde neither able to match by any meanes with suche an innumerable multitude of the turkes kept themselues till better time might serue theÌ„ But howsoeuer the matter was to be thought of the captaines brought the poore remnant of that rufull company vnto possidonium where the sayd Captayns were layd fast and their kept in durance to render accompt of the whole matter howe it was wrought and handled And thus haue ye the lamentable story of Strigonium The Turke proceeding in his victories conducted his army next vnto Tath and to the parties lying nere about Comaron This Tath was also a strong hold in Hungary wherein were placed certayne garrisons pertly of the Germaynes partly of the Italians The chieâ—tayne of the Italians was one Anniball Tosso constitute by Philipus Torneilius This Tasso was a man well experte in prowes of warre but of a filthy corrupt life also a foule swearer and horrible blasphemer of God and his saintes To make the story shorte this forte of Tathe before anye siege was layde vnto it was yelded and geuen vp to the Turkes vpon what conditions or by whose meanes the author sheweth not Thus much he sheweth that the sayd Anniball shortly vpoÌ„ the same returning into Italy was commaunded by Tornellius aforesaid to be apprehended and beheaded After the turkes had subuerted and destroyed the forte of Tathe they turned their power against Alba surnamed Regalis for that the kinges of HuÌ„gary haue bene always wont there to be crowned and buryed This Alba is a litle well compacted citie in Hungary hauing on the one side a marishe somewhat foggishe or fenny whiche made the town lesse assaultable But nere to the same was a woode from the which the turkes euery day with vi C. cartes brought such matter of wood and trees felled for the same purpose into the marish that within lesse then 12. dayes they made it apte and harde to their feete whiche the townes men thought neuer could be gone vppon but onely in the hard frostes of wynter At the first beginning of the siege there stoode a little without the munitions in the front of the citie a certayne church or Monastery whiche the Cittizens pretending to mayntayne and keepe agaynst the turkes had priuily coÌ„ueyed light matter easely to take flame with pouder in secret places therof and had hid also fire withal Whiche done they as agaynst theyr willes being driuen backe withdrew themselues within the munitions wayting the occasions when this fire woulde take Thus the turkes hauing the possession of the churche sodenly the fire comming to the pouder raysed vp the
Churche and made a great scatter and slaughter among the barbarous turkes This was not so soone espyed of them within the towne but they issued out vpon them in this disturbance and slue of them a great number Among whom diuers of theyr nobles also the same time were slayne and one Bassa an Eunuch which was of great estimation with the turkes Moreouer in the same skirmish was taken one of those gunners which the french king is sayd to haue sent to the Turke a little before Whiche if it be true let the Christian Reader iudge what is to be thought of those Christen princes which not onely forsaking the common cause of Christes Churche ioyned league with the turke but also sent hym gunners to set forward hys warres to the destruction of Christes people and to the shedding of theyr blond for whom they know the blond of Christ to be shed If this be not true I shew myne authour If it be then let the Pope see and marke well howe hys title of Christianissimus can well agree with such doinges But to let this matter sleape although the turkes as ye heard had wonne the fenne with theyr pollicie and industry against the Cittie of Alba yet all this while the Albanes were nothing inferiour to theyr enemies through the valiant help couragious indeuour of Octauianus Scruzatus a captayne of Millane By whose prudent counsaile and constant standing the busy enterprises of the turkes did little preuayle a long time till at length sodainly arose a thick fog or miste vpon the cittie where as rounde about besides the sunne did shine bright Some sayde it came by Arte Magicall but rather it may appeare to ryse out of the fenne or marish beyng so pressed downe with mens feete and other matter layd vpon it The turkes vsing the occasion of this misty darckenes in secret wise approching the walles had got vp to a certayne fortresse where the Germaynes were before our men coulde well perceane them where they pressed in so thicke in such number that albeit the christian souldiors standing strongly to the defence of theyr lyues dyd what valiaunt men in cases of such extremetie were able to doe yet beyng ouermatched with the multitude of the Turks the sodennes of their comming gaue backe seeking to retyre into the inward walles Which when theyr other felowes did see to recule then was theyr flyeng of all hands euery man striuing to get into the Cittie There was betweene the outward Wales or vamures and inward gate of the citty a straite or narrow passage cast vp in maner of a bancke or causey ditched on both sides which passage or ingresse happened the same timeto be barred stopped By reason wherof the poore souldiors were forced to cast them selues into the ditch thinking to swimme as well as they could into the cittye where many of them sticking in the mudde were drowned one pressing vpon an other many were slayne of their enemies comming behinde them they hauing neither hart nor power to resist A fewe whiche could swimme out were receiued into the Citty but the chiefe Captaines and warders of the towne were there slayne The cittizens being destitute of theyr principall captaines and warriors were in great perplexitie and doubt among thēselues what to do some thinking good to yeld some counsayling the contrary This while the mindes of the cittizens were distract in diuers doubtfull sentences the Magistrates minding to stand to the turkes gentlenes sent out one of theyr heads vnto the turke who in the name of them all should surrender to him the citty and become vnto him tributaries vpō cōdition they might enioy liberty of life goods which being to thē granted after the turkish faith assurance first the souldiors which were left wtin the citty putting of theyr armour were discharged sent away Who being but onely 300. left of 4. ensignes of Italians of a thousand Germaynes by the way were layd for by the Tartarians for hope of theyr spoyle so that they scattering a sunder one one way an other an other to saue themselues as wel as they could fled euery one what way he thought best Of whome some wandering in woodes marishes faynted for famine some were taken and slayne by the Hungarians a few with bare and empty and wythered bodies more like ghostes then men escaped came to Uienna And this befell vpon the souldiors Now vnderstand what happened to the yelding Citizens So in story it followeth that when the turke had entred the towne and had visited the sepulchre of the kynges for three or 4. dayes he pretented muche clemency toward the cittizens as though he came not to oppresse them but to be reuēged of Ferdinādus their king to deliuer them from the seruitude of the Germaines On the fourth day al the chiefe head men of the citty were cōmaunded to appeare before the turke in a playne not far frō the citty where the condemned persons before were wont to be executed as though they should come to sweare vnto the turke At this commaundement of the turke when the cittizens in great number in their best attyre were assembled the turk contrary to his fayth and promise commaunded sodenly a generall slaughter to be made of them all And this was the end of the citizens of Alba. In the meane time during the siege of Alba the Hungarians meeting sometimes with the horsemen of the Tartarians which were sent out to stop their vitailes from the citie slue of them at one bickering 3000. Turks In which story is also reported mentioned of mine author an horrible sight and example of misery concerning a certayne captiue a Christian belike who comming into Uienna was found to haue in his scrip or satchel the halfe of a yong childe of two yeares old which remayned yet vneaten the other halfe beyng eaten before an 1543. Ibid. Next after this was expugned the castle of Pappa by the Turkes Let the castle now of Papa take heede least one day it follow after The like fidelitie the turkes also kept with the fort of Wizigradum and the souldiours therof This Wizigradū is situate in the mid way betweene Buda and Strigoniū Of the which fort or Castle the highest tower so mounteth vpon the hil that vnlesse it be for famine and lack of water they haue not to dread any enemy Notwithstanding so it happened that the lower peece being wonne they in the higher tower abiding foure dayes without drink were cōpelled wyth liberty graunted of life and goodes to yelde themselues But the deuilish turkes keeping no fayth nor promise slue them euerye one onely Petrus Amandus the captaine of the peece excepted who priuely was conueyed by the Captayne of the Turkes out of the slaughter an 1544. To these moreouer may be added the winning of Nouum Castellum in Dalmatia where he slue all that were wtin both soldiors other for
8. Cammels and 8. Moyles laden with treasure and also got two red Guidons wyth a whole great peece of rich cloth of gold and with an other fayre and straunge Iewell The horse of this foresayd turkish captayn was betrapped and decked most richly The sadle wherof had the pommell and the backe part couered ouer with plate of fine Arabicke golde and the rest of the sadle beside the sitting place was plated with siluer very fayre gilded The seate of the sadle was couered with purple veluet the trappers and bridle beset with little Turkeys and Rubies Which horse was sent to Uienna vnto the Emperour Maximilian for a present Although the Earle would very fayne haue saued the Captayn not knowing what he was yet the Ianizarites labouring to carry away their captayne so stiffly defended thēselues that the Earle with his company was constrayned to kill both them and theyr Captayne From whome the said Erle of Serin the same time got xv thousand Turkish and Hungarish Ducates which mony was brought for the payment of the Turkishe souldiours in the towne aforesayd of Finffenkyrchen c. All which be good begynninges of greater goodnes to be hoped for hereafter thorough the grace of Christ our Lord especially if our Christian rulers and potentates first the churchmen prelates for theyr partes then the ciuile powers princes for their partes with holding theyr affections a little will turne their brawles variance into brotherly concord and agrement which the Lord of peace put in theyr mindes to doe Amen Or otherwise if it will so please the Lorde that the turke come further vpon vs so as he hath begonne for our punishment castigation his grace then geue to the flock of his poore Christians constancie of fayth pacience in suffering and amendmēt of life For so I vnderstand by publicke fame although vncertaynly rumored by the voyce of some that the Turkes power of late this present yeare of our Lord 1566. hath perced the parties of Apulia within Italy wasting and burning the space of an 100. myles toward Naples Which if it be certaine it is to be feared that the Turke hauing thus set in his foote feeling the sweetnes of Italy wil not so cease before he get in both head and shoulders also so farre into Italy that he will display hys banners within the walles of Rome do with old Rome the like as Mahumete his great granfather did with newe Rome the city of Constantinople and as the Persians did with Babylon The causes why we haue so to iudge he diuers first y◠the sea of Rome hath bene defended hetherto and mayntayned with much bloud and therefore it may seeme not vncredible but that it will not long continue but be lost with bloud agayne according to the verdict of the Gospell He that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword c. An other cause is the fulfilling of the 18. chapter of the Apocalips where is written that great Babilon shall fall be made an habitation of deuils and a denne of vncleane spirite and a cage of filthye and vncleane byrdes the fall wherof shal be like a milstone in the sea that is which shal not rise agayne And this to come before the day of iudgement the text of the sayd chapter doth apertly declare where the wordes do follow shewing that the kynges of the earth and the marchantes which had to doe with the whoorishe City standing a farre of for feare of the heate and beholding the smoke of the sayd Cittie flaming and burning with fire shall be wayle and rue her destruction and desolacion c. What citty is this called great Babilon whiche like a mylstone shall fall and burne and be made an habitation of vncleane spirites and beastes let the reader construe This is certayn and playne by these her kinges and marchantes standing a far of for feare and beholding her burning that the destruction of this city what cittye soeuer it be shall be seene here in earth before the comming of the Lordes iudgement as may easely be gathered by these iij. circumstances that is by the stāding the beholding and be wayling of her marchauntes By the which marchauntes and kynges of the earth peraduenture may be signified the Pope the rich Cardinalles the great prelates and fat doctours and other obedienciaries of the Romish sea who at the comming of the Turkes will not auenture theyr liues for theyr Church but will flee the citty no doubt and stād a farre of from daunger and when they shal see with their eyes and heare with theyr cares the city of Rome to be set on fire and consumed by the cruell Turks the sight thereof shall seeme to them piteous and lamentable to behold the great and fayre city of Rome the tall castle of S. Angell the Popes mighty sea where they were wont to fishe out such riches dignities treasures and pleasures so to burne before theyr eyes and to come to such vtter desolacion which shal neuer be reedefied agayne but shall be made an habitation of deuils and vncleane spirites that is Turkes and heathen Sultans and barbarous Saracens c. This I say peraduenture may be the meaning of that prophetical place of the Apoc. not that I haue here anye thing to pronounce but onely geue my gesse what may probably be coniectured But the end at length will make this and all other thinges more playne and manifest For mistical prophesies lightly are neuer so well vnderstand as when the euent of them is past and accomplished An other cause concurring with the causes aforesayde may be collected out of Paulus Iouius who writing ofy e subuersion of Rhodes which was as ye heard an 1522. vpon Christmas day sayth that it chaunced sodenly the same day in Rome that as Pope Hadrian the vi was entring into the church to his seruice sodeinly ouer hys head the vpper frontier or toppe of the chappel dore which was of marble immediately as the pope was entring fel downe and slue certayne of hys garde wayting vpon hym Whereby peraduenture may be ment that the ruine of Rome was not long after to folow the losse of Rhodes The fourth cause I borowe out of Ioannes Auentinus who in his thyrd booke alledging the names but not the wordes of Hildegardis Brigitte and other propheticall men hath these wordes Si vera sint carmina vaticinia D. Hildegardae Brigittae Sybillanum Germaniae Bardorum fatidicorū qui ea quae nostro aeuo completa vidimus longo ante tempore nobis cecinerunt A grippinensis Colonia nolimus velimus Turcarū caput erit c. That is if the sayings and prophesies of Hildegarde of Brigitte of other propheticall persōs be true which beyng foretold long before we haue seene now in these our dayes accōplished the town of Colen wil we nil we must needes be the head city of the turks c. And this I write
was an Illyrian but whatsoeuer he was certayne it is that the Turk himselfe was much more beastiall then was the very brute Oxe which being a beast shewed more sence of humanity to a dead man thē one mā did to an other Ex Leonic Chalcondyla To this crueltye adde moreouer that beside these 500. Methonians thus destroyed at Constantinople in the said City of Methone all the townes men also were slayne by the forsayd Captayn Omares and among them theyr Bishop likewise was put to death Ex Andrea de Lacuna ex Wolfgango alijs Iohn Faber in his Oration made before king Henrye the 8. at the appointment of king Ferdinandus and declaring therin the miserable cruelty of the Turkes toward al christians as also toward the bishops and ministers of the church testifieth how that in Mitilene in Constantinople and Trapezunda what Byshops Archbishops or other ecclesiasticall and religious persons the Turks could find they brought them out of the cityes into the fieldes there to be slaine like Oxen and Calues The same Faber also writing of the battell of Solyman in Hungary where Ludouicus the king of Hūgary was ouerthrown declareth that 8. Byshops in the same field were slayne And moreouer when the Archbishop of Strigon and Paulus the Archbishop Colossensis were found dead Solyman caused thē to be taken vp to be beheaded and chopt in small pieces an 1526. What christian hart will not pity the incredible slaughter done by the Turkes in Euboia where as the sayd Faber testifieth that innumerable people were sticked gored vpon stakes diuers were thrust through with a hoat iron childrē and infants not yet wayned from the mother were dashed agaynst the stones many cut a sūder in the midst Ex Iohan Fabro alijs But neuer did country taste and feele more the bitter deadly tyranny of the Turkes then did Rasia called Mysia inferior now Seruia Where as writeth Wolfgangus Dreschlerus the prince of the sayde countrey being sent for vnder fayre pretence of words promises to come speak with the Turke after he was come of his own gentlenes thinking no harme was apprehended wretchedly fasly put to death his skin flain of his brother sister brought to Constantinople for a triumph and all the nobles of his country as Faber addeth had theyr eyes put out c. Briefly to conclude by the vehement and furious rage of these cursed cayrifes it may seme that Satan the old dragon for the great hatred he beareth to Christ hath styred them vp to be the butchers of all christen people inflaming theyr beastly hartes with suche malice cruelty against the name and religion of Christ that they degenerating frō the nature of men to deuils neither by reason wil be ruled nor by any bloud or slaughter satisfied Like as in the primitine age of the Church and in the time of Dioclesian and Maximiliā whē the deuil saw that he could not preuaile against the person of Christ which was risen agayne he turned all his fury vpon his sely seruants thinking by the Romayn Emperours vtterly to extinct the name and profession of Christ out from the earth So in this latter age of the world Satan being let lose agayne rageth by the Turkes thinking to make no end of murdering and killing till he haue brought as he entendeth the whole church of Christ with all the professors therof vnder foot But the Lord I trust will once send a Constantinus to vanquish proud Maxētius Moyses to drowne indurate Pharao Cyrus to subdue the stout Babilonian And thus much hitherto touching our christian brethrē which were slain destroied by these blasphemous turks Now forsomuche as besides these aforesayde many other were pluckt away violently from theyr country from their wiues children from liberty from all their possessions into wretched captiuity and extreme pouerty it remaineth likewise to entreat somewhat also cōcerning the cruel maner of the Turkes handling of the sayd christian captiues And first here is to be noted that that turke neuer cōmeth into Europe to war against the christiās but there foloweth after his army a great number of brokers marchaunts such as buy men children to sell again bringing with thē long cheines in hope of great cheates In the which cheynes they linke thē by 50. 60. together such as remayne vndestroyd with the sword whō they buy of the spoiles of thē that rob spoyle the Christian countryes Which is lawfull for any of the Turkes armye to doe so that the tenth of their spoyle or pray whatsoeuer it be be reserued to the head Turke that is to the great mayster theefe Of such as remayne for tithe if they be aged of whom very fewe be reserued aliue because little protite commeth of that age they be solde to the vse of husbandry or keeping of beastes If they be young men or women they be sent to certein places there to be instructed in theyr language and Artes as shall be most profitable for theyr aduauntage such are called in theyr tongue Sarai and the first care of the Turkes is this to make them deny the Christian religion and to be circumcised and after that they are appointed euery one as he semeth most apte either to the learning of their lawes or els to learn the feates of war Their first rudimēt of war is to handle the bow first beginning with a weake bow and so as they growe in strength comming to a stronger bow if they misse the marke they are sharply beaten theyr allowance is two pence or three pence a day till they come take wages to serue in war Some are brought vp for the purpose to be placed in the number of the wicked Ianizarites that is the order of the Turks champions which is the most abhominable cōdition of al other Of these Ianizaraites see before pag. 736. And if any of the foresayd yong men or children shal appeare to excell in any beuty him they so cutte that no part of that whiche nature geueth to man remayneth to be seene in all his body wherby while the freshnes of age continueth he is compelled to serue theyr abhominable abhomination and when age cōmeth then they serue in stead of Eunuches to wayte vpon Matrones or to keepe horses and Mules or els to be scullians and drudges in theyr kitchins Such as be young maydens beautifull are deputed for concubines The whiche be of meane beautye serue for matrones to theyr drudgery worke in theyr houses chābers or els are put to spinning and such other labors but so that it is not lawful for them either to professe their christian religiō or euer to hope for any liberty And thus much of them which fall to the Turke by tithe The other which are bought and sold amongst priuate subiects first are allured with faire words and promises
to take circumcision Which if they will doe they are more fauourably entreated but all hope is taken from them of returning agayne into theyr country which if they attempt the payne therof is burning And if such comming at leÌ„gth to liberty will mary they may but then theyr children remayne boud to the Lord for him to sell at his pleasure and therfore such as are wise amongst theÌ„ wil not mary They which refuse to be circumcised are miserably handled for example wherof the author which geueth testimony hereof doth inferre his owne experience Such captiues as be expert in any manuall art or occupation can better shift for theÌ„selues but contrariwise they whiche haue no handycraft to liue vpon are in worse case And therfore such as haue bene brought vp in learning or be priests or noble men such other whose teÌ„der educatioÌ„ can abide no hardnes are the least reputed most of all other neglected of him that hath the sale or keping of theÌ„ for that he seeth lesse profit to rise of them then of the other therfore no cost of raymeÌ„t is bestowed vpon them but they are caried about bare head barefoote both sommer winter in frost and snow And if any faynt and be sicke in the way there is no resting in any Inn but first he is driueÌ„ forward with whips and it that will not serue he is let peraduenture vpon some horse or if his weakenesse be such that hee cannot sit then is he layde ouerthwart the horse vpon hys belly like a Calfe and if he chaunce to dye they take of hys garment such as he hath and throw him in a ditch In the way moreouer beside the coÌ„mon chayne which doth inclose theÌ„ all the hads also of euery one are manicled which is because they shoulde not harme theyr leaders for many times it happened that x. persons had the leading of 50. captiues wheÌ„ night came theyr feet also were fettered so yâ— they lodged in no house but lay vpon the grouÌ„d al night The yong women had a litle more gentlenes shewed being caried in paniers on the day time But when nyght came pity it was to heare the miserable crying out of such as were inclosed wtin by reason of the filthy iniuries which they suffred by their cariers in so much that the yong teÌ„der age of 7. or 8. yeres as wel of the one sexe as of the other could not saue theÌ„ froÌ„ the most filthy villany of the bestiall turkes When the morning cometh they are brought foorth to the market to sale where the buyer if he be disposed plucking of theyr garments vieweth all the bones ioynts of theyr body and if he like them he geueth his price and carieth theÌ„ away into miserable seruitude either to tilling of their grouÌ„d or to pasture their cattel or some other strauÌ„ge kind of misery incredible to speake of In so much that the author reporteth that he hath sene himselfe certeine of such Christen captiues yoked together like horse and oxen and to draw the plough The maid seruaunts likewise are kept in perpetuall toile and work in close places where neither they come in sight of any man neither be they permitted to haue any talke with theyr fellowe seruauntes c. Such as are committed to keep beastes lye abroad day and night in the wilde fieldes without house and harbor and so chaunging their pastour goe from mountayne to mountayne of whom also beside the office of keeping the beastes other handy labour is exacted at spare houres such as pleaseth theyr maysters to put vnto them Out of this misery there is no way for them to flye especially for them that are caryed into Asia beyond the seas Or if any do attempt so to do he taketh his time chiefely about haruest when he may hide himselfe all the day time in the corne or in woodes or marishes and finde foode and in the night onely hee flyeth and had rather bee deâ—â—outed of wolues and other wild beastes then to returne agayne to his maister In theyr flying they vse to take with them an hatchet and coardes that when they come to the sea side they may cut downe trees and binde together the endes of them and so where the sea of Helleâ—pontus is narrowest about the Sestos and Abidos they take the sea sitting vpon trees where if they wurde tide do serue luckely they may cut ouer in foure or fiue houres But the most part either perish in the floudes or are driuen backe agayne vpon the coastes of Asia or els be deuoured of wilde beastes in woodes or perish with hunger and famine If any escape ouer the seas aliue into Europe by the way they enter into no towne but wairder vpon the mouÌ„taynes following onely the Northftarre for theyr guide As touching such townes prouinces which are won by the Turke and wherein the Christians are suffered to liue vnder tribute first all the nobility there they kill and make away the churchmen and Clergy hardly they spare The Churches with the belles all the furniture thereof either they cast down or els they comâ—ert to the vse of their owne blasphemous Religion leauing to the Christians certayn olde and blinde chappels which when they decay it is permitted to our me to repayre the agayne for a great somme of mony geuen to the Turke Neither be they permitted to vse any open preaching or ministration But only in silence and by stealth to frequent together Neither is it lawfull for any Christian to beare office within the city or prouince nor to beare weapon nor to weare any garment like to the Turkes And if any contumely or blasphemy be it neuer so great be spoken agaynst the or agaynst Christ yet muste thou beare it and holde thy peace Or if thou speake one word agaynst theyr religion thou shalt be compelled whether thou wilt or no to be circumcised And then if thou speake one word agaynst Mahumet thy punishment is fire and burning And if it chaunce a Christian being on horsebacke to meet or passe by a Musulman that is a Turkish priest he must light from his horse with a lowly looke deuoutly reuereÌ„ce adore the Musulman Or if he do not he is beateÌ„ down froÌ„ his horie with clubs slaues Furthermore for theyr tribute they pay the fourth part of theyr substance and gayne to the Turke beside the ordinary tribute of the Christians whiche is to paye for euery polle within his family a ducket vnto the Turke which if the parentes cannot doe they are compelled to sell theyr children into bondage Other being not able to pay go cheined in fetters from dore to dore begging to make vp theyr payment or els must lye in perpetuall prison And yet notwithstanding wheÌ„ the christians haue discharged all duties it remaineth free for the turkes to take vp among the christians children whom the best like and
theÌ„ to circumcise and to take them away being yong from the sight of theyr pareÌ„ts to far places to be brought vp for the Turkes wars so that they may not returne to them agayne but first are taught to forget Christ then theyr parents so that if they come agayne amongst theÌ„ yet are they not able to know theyr kinsfolkes and parents This misery passing all other miseries no man is able w e toung to vtter or with words to expresse What weping teares what sorow and lamentatioÌ„ what groning sighes and deep dolor doth teare rent a sonder the woefull harts of the sely parents at the plucking away of their babes and children to see theyr sonnes theyr own childreÌ„ whoÌ„ they haue borne and bred vp to the seruice of Christ Iesus the sonne of God now to be drawn away violeÌ„tly froÌ„ theÌ„ to the warfare of Satan and to fight agaynst Christ to see theyr babes borne of christiaÌ„ bloud of christiaÌ„s to be made turks and so to be pluckt out of their armes and out of their sight without hope euer to returne to them agayne to liue perpetually with aliens barbarous blasphemous Turkes and so to become of the number of them which are called fatherles and motherles Albeit the same childreÌ„ afterward do greatly degenerate from the fayth of Christ yet very many of them haue priuily about them the gospell written of S. Iohn In principioÌ„ erat verbum c. Which for a token of remembraunce of theyr christian fayth they cary vnder theyr arme hole writen in greek and araby Who greatly desire and long looke for the reuenging sword of the Christians to come deliuer them out of theyr dolorous thraldome and captiuity according as the Turkes themselues haue a prophecy greatly stand in feare of the same Wherof more shal be said Christ willing in the chapter folowing ¶ And thus haue ye heard the lameÌ„table afflictioÌ„s of our christian brethren vnder the cruell tyranny captiuity of the turks passing all other captiuityes that euer haue bene to Gods people either vnder Pharao in Egipt or vnder Nabuchodonoser in BabiloÌ„ or vnder Antiochus in the tyme of the Machabees Vnder the which captiuity if it so please the Lord to haue his spouse the church to be nurtered hys good will be done and obeyed But if this misery come by the negligence discorde of one christian guides leaders then haue we to pray and cry to our Lord God â—yther to geue better harts to out guiders and rulers or els better guides and rulers to his flocke And these reoubles and afflictions of our Christen brethren suffered by the Turkes I thought good and profitable for our countrey people here of Englande to knowe for so much as by the ignoraunce of these and such like hystoryes worthy of consideration I see much inconneneÌ„ce doth folow Whereby it commeth to passe that because we English men being far of from these countryes and little knowing what misery is a broad are the lesse moued with zeale compassion to tender theyr greuaunces and to pray for them whose troubles we know not WhereupoÌ„ also foloweth that we not coÌ„sidering the miserable state of other are the les gratefull to God when any tranquility by hym to vs is graunted And if any-title cloud of pertâ—rhation arise vpon vs be it neuer so â—ile as pouerty lesse of liuing or a litle banishment out of our countrey for the Lordes cause we make a great matter the reat and all because wee going no further then onâ— own country and onely feeling our own crosse do not compare that which we fâ—ele with the great crosses where unto the Churches of Christ commonly in other places abroad are subiect Which if we dyd rightly vnderstand earnestly consider and poÌ„der in our mindes neither would we so excessiuely forgette our selues in time of our prosperity geuen vs of God nor yet so impatieÌ„tly be troubled as we are in time of our aduersity and all because either we heare not or els we poÌ„der not the terrible crosses which the Lord layeth vpon our other brethren abroad in other nations as by this present story here prefixed may appeare NOw consequently remayneth as I haue shewed hitherto what tyranny hath bene vsed of the Turkes agaynst Christes people so to declare likewise how far this tyranny of the Turkes hath extended and spread it selfe describing as in a table to the ChristeÌ„ Reader what landes countryes and kingdomes the Turkes haue wonne and got from Christendome to the intent that when Christen princes shal behold the greatnes of the Turks dominions spread almost through al the world and how litle a part of Christianity remayneth behinde they may thereby vnderstand the better howe it is time now for them to bestyrre them if euer they thinke to do any good in Gods Church And therefore to make a coÌ„pendious draught as in a briefe table of such countryes kingdomes and dominions gott from vs by the Turkes we will first beginne with Asia describing what tractes countryes cityes and Churches the Turke hath surprised and violently pluckt away from the society of Christian dominions taking onely suche as be most principall and chiefely them that be in Scripture conteyned for that it were to long to discourse all and singular such places by name as the Turke hath vnder hys subiection The world being deuided commonly into three parts Asia Africa and Europa Asia is counted to be the greatest in compas conteining as much as both the other and is deuided into 2. portions the one called Asia Maior the other called Asia minor And although the Empery of the Turke extendeth vnto them both yet especially his dominion standeth in the other Asia which is called Asia Minor which reacheth from the coastes of Europa vnto Armenia Maior beyond the riuer Euphrates and comprehendeth these regions and Cityes vnder written ¶ The deuision of Asia Minor called Cheronesus with the particular Countryes and Cityes belonging to the same Countryes Cityes Pontus Act. 2. Nicea Chalcedon Heraclea Prursa or Bursa Bithinia Act. 16. Nicomedia Apamea ¶ Natolia or Anatolia conteyneth diuers countryes with theyr Cities as foloweth Countryes Cityes Mysia Minor Act. 16 Cyzicus Parium Lampsacus Dardanum Callipolis Phrygia Minor Act. 2 Abydus Alexandria or Troias Act. 16 Toras Act. 20 Ilium Assus Act. 20 Mysia Maior Act. 16 Scepsis Adramitium Act. 27 Phrygia Maior Act. 2 Hierapolis Col. 4 Pitane Apollonia Myrina Lydia Esay 66 Phocoea Smyrna Apoc. 2 Erythrae Aeolis Laodicea Apoc. 3 Carura Thatyra Apoc 2 Ionia Philadelphia Apoc. 3 Pergamus Apoc. 2 Cuma Caria 1. Mac. 15 Ephesus Apoc. 2 Sardis Apoc. 3. Halicarnassus Mach. 15 Doris Miletus Act. 20 ¶ Thus farre reacheth the compasse of Natolia Countryes Cityes Lycia Act 27 Colossae Col. 1 Patara Act. 21 Pinara Zanthus Andriaco Myra Act. 13 Galactavel Gellogrâ—cia Act. 16 Ancyra Gordium Tharma Pessenus Paphlagonia Amisus Sinope
declareth to vs the affliction of Christes Church for sinne and yet that God will not vtterly reiect his people for his sonnes sake as by manifold examples of y◠Church hetherto may well appeare Againe the continuance of the law first geuen by Moses vnto the destruction of the sayde people by Titus amounteth to 1564. yeares So we counting the age of the new Testament and reckening from the day of our redemption vnto this present be come now to the yeare 1534. lacking but only 33. yeares of the full number Likewise in counting the yeares from their deliuerāce out of captiuitie to the ende of their dissolution we finde 564. yeares during which yeares as the Churche of the Iewes was not gouerned vnder the authoritie of kings but the high Priests tooke all the power and authoritie to themselues so we Christians for the space especially of these later 564. yeares what haue we seene and felt but only the iurisdiction and domination of the Pope and his high Priests plaieng the Rex in all countreys and ruling the whole whereby by the count of these yeares it is to be thought the daye of the Lordes comming not to bee farre off Furthermore in those latter yeares of the Iewes kingdome what troubles and afflictions that people susteined three hundreth yeares together but chiefly the last 166. yeares before the comming of Christ by Antiochus and his felowes the history of the Machabees cā report Wherin we haue also notoriously to vnderstād the miserable vexations and persecutions of Christian Churches in these latter ends of the world by Antichrist For by Antiochus Antichrist no doubt is figured and represented Thys Antiochus surnamed Magnus and Antiochus Epiphanes his sonne came of the stocke of Seleucus Nicanor much like as the Mahumetes the Turke and Solymannus came of the stocke of Ottomannus Wherein this is to be noted and pondered that like as of the sayd Seleucus issued xij Syrian Kings one after another of that generation which reigned ouer the Israelites with much seueritie and tiranny so of this diuelish generatiō of Ottomannus haue come xij Turkish tyraunts whereof thys Solyman is now the twelfe God grant he may be the last And as the ij last Antiochi being sonnes of the ij brethrē did fight together for the kingdome and in fighting were both slaine and shortly after the kingdome fell to the Romaines so the Lorde graunt for Christes sake that the bloudy broode of this old Solyman which had reigned now 46. yeares may so fight together and perish in their owne bloud that the bloudy tyranny of theirs may come to a finall end for euer Amen And that the truth heereof may the better appeare to such as be disposed to meditate more vpon the matter I thought good and profitable for the reader to set before his eies in tablewise the catalogue of both these Antichristian families with the names and succession of the persons first of the twelue Syrian Kings then of the twelue Ottomans in like number and order A comparison betweene the Syrians and the Turkes ¶ The Syrians 1 Seleucus 32 2 Antiochus Soter 19 3 Antiochus Theos who killed Bernice his mother in law and his yong brother 15 4 Seleucus Callinicus with Antiochus Hierax his brother which two breethren warred one against the other 20 5 Antiochus Magnus 36 6 Seleuchus Philopator 12 7 Antiochus Epiphanes or rather Epimanes 8 Antiochus Eupator 2 9 Demetrius brother of Epiphanes who killed Eupator his cosin 10 Demetrius Nicanor whome Antiochus Sedetes his brother repulsed from his kingdome 11 Antiochus sedetes These two last being brethren had two sonnes 12 Antiochus Grypus Antiochus Cyriconus These two striuing together for the kingdome were both slaine and so not lōg after the kingdome of Syria came to the hands of Cigranes King of Armenia and so being taken from him came to the Romaines in the time of Pompeius ¶ The Turkes 1 Ottomannus 28 2 Orchanes He slue his two brethren 22 3 Amurathes He put out the eyes of Sauces his owne sonne 23 4 Baiazetes He slew Solymannus his brother 5 Calepinus The Greeke stories make no mention of this Calepinus the Latin stories say that Calepinus and Orchanes were both one and that hee was slayne by Mahumetes hys brother 6 6 Orchanes whome Moses his vncle did slay 7 Mahumetes 1. He slue Mustaphas his brother 14 8 Amurathes 2. Hee siue Mustaphas his brother 34 9 Mahumetes 2. He slue his two brethren Turcinus an infant and Calepinus 73 10 Baiazetes 2. He warred against his brother Demes which Demes was afterward poisoned by Pope Alexander 6. 33 11 Zelymus He poisoned Baiazetes his father his two brethren Acomates and Corcutus wyth all their children his owne cosines 7 12 Solymannus He slue Mustaphas his owne sonne and was the death or Gianger his seconde sonne 46 These two pestilent families and generations rising out doubtles from the bottomles pit to plague the people of God as in number of succession they do not much differ so in maner of their doings and wicked abhominations they be as neere agreeing being both enemies alyke to the people and Church of Christ both murtherers and paricides of their owne breethren and kindred both blasphemers of God and troublers of the whole worlde Wherein we haue all to learne and note by the way the terrible anger of almighty God against sinne and wickednes of men Furthermore who so is desposed to consider and cast the course of times and to marke how things be disposed by the maruelous operation of Gods prouidēce shal finde the times also of these two aduersaries in much like sorte to concurre and agree For in considering with our selues both the Testaments and Churches of God the first of the Iewes the second of the Christians looke what time had the Syrian Kings to rage then in Hierusalem the same proportion of time hath now the tiranny of the Turks to murther the Christians so that the one Antichrist may well represent and prefigure the other For as by the booke of Machabees may appeare Antiochus Epiphanes was about the 191. yeares before the passion of our Sauiour and day of our redemption so now casting the same number from this present yeare backward we shall finde it to be about the same yeare and time when Baiazetes the fourth Turke after Ottoman began to remoue his Imperiall seate from Bursa in Bithynia to Adrianople in Europe which is a City of Thracia In which yeare time began all the mischiefe in Europe as is to be seene before pag. 738. and this was the yeare of our Lord 1375. Unto the which yeare if we adde 691. it maketh 1566. according to the prophesie of the Apocal. chap. 20. where it is prophesied of Gog and Magog that they shall compasse about the tents of the Saincts and the well beloued Citie by the which welbeloued Citie is meant no doubt Europa and this was in
teeth it deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his feete and it was vnlike the other beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes As I considered the hornes behold there came vp among them another little horne before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away And behold in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things and seemed more stoute then the other Which horne also wheÌ„ I looked on made battaile with the saints preuailed against theÌ„ vntill the old aged came iudgement was giuen to the Saintes of the highest and till the appointed time was come that the Saints shuld haue the kingdoÌ„e Thus haue ye heard the plaine words of Daniell In the which as he doth manifestly describe the comming of Antiochus the great aduersary toward the latter ende of the Iewes so by the same Antiochus is figured also to vs the great aduersary of Christ which is the Turke Although some there be notwithstanding which wyth great learning iudgement do apply this place of Daniel aboue recited not to the Turke but rather to the Pope that for vj. or vij speciall causes herein touched and noted The first is this that the wicked transgressours of the couenaunt shall ioine with him deceitfully and hypocritically which shall pollute the tabernacle of strength take away the perpetuall sacrifice and bring in the abhomination of desolation The second note is that the Prophet declareth how the learned among the people shall reach many that they shall fall into the sword into fire and captiuitie and shall be banished whereby they shall be tried chosen made bright and pure c. All which say they is not amoÌ„g the Turkes to be seene but only in the Popes Church where the faithfull preachers teachers of the people are slaine and burned and go to wracke c. Where likewise it foloweth that they shall be holpen against Antichrist and that many false brethren shall ioine vnto them dissemblingly c. To thys they alledge that the Christians haue no such help against the Turke whereunto such false brethreÌ„ should ioine theÌ„seâ—ues as is and hath bene commonly seene amoÌ„g the Christians against the Pope from time to time almost in all Countreys as in Germany by the Protestants free Cities In EnglaÌ„d in King Henries time by the Lord Cromwell and afterward by King Edward now by Queene Elizabeth In Scotland by the godly nobilitie In France by the Queene of Nauarre and her sonne and also by the Prince of Condy and the worthy Admirall and his two breethren and many others In Flaunders by theÌ„ whom the Regent calleth Beggers So as was in the time of the Machabees against Antiochus Thirdly that the King shall exalt himselfe aboue all that hath the name of God and shal lift vp his mouth to speake presumptuously against God Fourthly that he careth not for the desires of women which may seeme to note how the Popes doctrine shall forbid the honest and lawfull mariage in Churchmen The fift specialtie which they apply to the Pope is that foloweth in the Prophet saieng Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers nor any God but in steade of him shall set vp his God Mauzzim shall worship him with siluer gold pretious stone c. which they do apply to the Pope setting vp his God of bread worshipping him with glistering golden ornameÌ„ts most solemne seruice Sixtly it foloweth he shall encrease them with much glory and riches and shall diuide vnto them lands possessions c. meaning that the Pope hauing dominioÌ„ ouer treasures of gold and siluer and all precious things of the land shall indue his Cardinals Prelats his flatring doctours with Friers and Monkes Priestes and all such as shal take his part with great priuilegies liberties reuenues possessions And thus I say some there be which apply this prophesie of the xij and xi chapter of Daniell vnto the Bishop of Rome whom although I take to be an extreme persecutour of Christs Church yet I iudge rather those two chapters of Daniel concerning the litle horne in the middle of the x. hornes and the great destroier of the pleasant land and glorious holy mountaine to meane first Antiochus and by him secondly to meane the great Antichrist the Turke who hath now set already the tabernacles of his palace betwene the Seas accordyng to the Prophecies of Daniell as is abouesayd Ouer besides these Prophecies aboue alledged may be added also the Prophecie of Ezechiel chap. 39. speakyng of Gog Magog which as it may be applied to the oppressioÌ„ of the Iewes vnder the Heathen multitude which stopped the buildyng of the Citie and vnder the Syrian kynges c. yet in the same also is expressed the calamities and afflictions of Christes Churche in these latter tymes vnder the Saracens and the Turkes c. Proceeding further in this matter let vs come now to the Prophecies of the new Testament marke the wordes of S. Paule writyng to the Thessalonians which then were Christened now either are Turkish or vnder the Turke which wordes be these Be ye not sodenly moued in your mynde nor troubled neither by spirite not by word nor by letter as sent froÌ„ vs as though the day of Christ were at hand let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes for the Lord will not come before there come a defection or a departing first and that wicked maÌ„ be reueled the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and is extolled aboue all power and that which is called God so that he shall sit in the teÌ„ple of God boasting himselfe to be God c. Although this defection departing may haue a double vnderstandyng as well of the popes sect which is gone departed froÌ„ the free iustificatioÌ„ by fayth onely in Christ through the promise of grace as of the Turkes yet learning a while to speake of the Pope because it appeareth more notoriously in the Turke we will chiefly apply it to him in whoÌ„ so aptly it doth agree that vnles this great defection froÌ„ faith in so many Churches had hapned by the Turke it had bene hard to vnderstaÌ„d the Apostles mynde which now by the history of these Turkes is easie and euident to be knowen coÌ„sidering what a ruine hath happened to the Church of Christ by these miserable Turks what Emperies nations kyngdomes countreys townes and Cities be remoued from the name professioÌ„ of Christ how many thousands infinite multitudes of Christen men and children in Asia in Afrike in Europe are caried away from Christes Church to Mahumetes Religion some to serue for the Turkes gard among the Ianizarites some for souldiours some for miners some for gunners to fight warre agaynst the Christians so that the most part
of all the Churches plāted once by y◠Apostles are now degenerated into Turks onely a small hādful of Christiās reserued yet in these West partes of Europe of the which small residue what shall also become shortly except Christ himselfe do helpe Christ onely himself doth know How great this defection hath bene spokē of by S. Paule thou mayest soe gentle Reader in the table aboue described pag. 741. Notwithstanding this text of the holy Apostle as I afore said may be verified also with no lesse reason vpō the Byshop of Rome thē vpon the Turke both for that he is a man of sinne that is his seate Citie is a great mainteiner of wickednesse also for that he is an aduersary that is contrary in all his doynges and proceedyngs to Christ. Thirdly for that he sitteth in the temple of God and so did not Mahumet Fourthly because he is an exalter of himselfe sitteth more like a God then a man in Rome wherof see more in the booke set forth in English called the CONTESTATIONS of the Popes Fiftly for that he seduceth and hath seduced by his apostasie the most part of all Christendome from the doctrine and free promises of God into a wrong and straūge way of saluation which is not to be iustified freely before God onely by our fayth in Christ his welbeloued sonne vnto the whiche fayth the promise of God freely and graciously hath annexed all our saluation onely to no other thyng but hath taught vs to worke our saluation by an infinite number of other thynges In so much that he bindeth the necessitie of our saluation also to this that we must beleue if we will be saued and receaue him to be the Uicare of Christ in earth c. But to returne agayne vnto the Turkes among all the prophecies both of the old Testamēt of the new there is none that paynteth out the Antichristian kyngdome of the Turkes better then doth the reuelation of S. Iohn whose wordes let vs weigh and cōsider Who in the Apocalipse 9. where he speaketh of openyng the seuenth last seale which signifieth the last age of the world and there writyng of the vij trompets of the vij Angels at the soundyng of the vi Aungell saith Loose the iiij Aungels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates And the foure Aungels were losed which were ready both day and houre and moneth and yeare to slay the third part of men And the number of horsemen were 20. thousand tymes ten thousand and I heard the number of them And thus I sawe in a vision horses and them that sate on them hauing fiery habbergions and of Iacinth stone and of brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of Lyons and out of their mouthes went foorth fire and smoake and brimstone of these three plagues was the third part of men killed that is of the fire smoake and brimstone which proceeded out of their mouthes c. By the seauenth seale is meant the seauenth and last age of the world which last age of the world is from Christ to the iudgement and resurrection of the dead By the seauen Angels with their seauen Trumpets is signified the seauen plagues that come in this seauenth and last age of the world By the sixt trumpet of the sixt Angell is meant the sixte plague comming last and next before the plague of the great iudgement day which sixt plague is heere described to come by the East Kings that is by the Turkes as foloweth to be seene By losing the Angels which had rule of the great riuer Euphrates is signified the letting out of the East Kings that is the Turkes out of Scithia Tartaria Persia and Arabia by whome the third part of Christendome shall be destroyed as we see it this day hath come to passe It followeth in the prophesie Their power shall be in their mouthes and in their tayles For their tayles be like Serpents hauing heads and with them they hurt c. Meaning that these Turkes with the words of their mouthes shall threaten great destruction of fire and sword to them that will not yeald vnto them and in the end when the Christians shall yeald vnto them trusting to their promises they like Serpents shall deceaue thē in the end kill them as appeareth by the story of the Turkes aboue past pag. 752. 753. 757. The like prophesy also after the like words and sence is to be seene and read in the 16. chap. of the Apoc. where S. Iohn entreating of seauen cuppes filled with the wrath of the liuing God geuē to the hands of 7. Angels by one of the foure beasts that is in the time of one of the four Monarchies which was the Monarchy of Rome speaketh likewise of the sixt Angell which poured his viole of Gods wrath vpon the great riuer Euphrates the waters thereof dryed vp that the way of the kings of the East should be prepared c. By the sixt Angell with the sixte viole is meant as before the last plague saue one that shall come vpon the Christians By y◠Kings of the East are meant the Saracens and 12. Ottoman Turks By drieng vp the riuer of Euphrates is signified the way of these Turkes to be prepared by the Lords appointment to come out of the East to the West parts of the world to molest and afflict the Christians It foloweth more in the text And I saw three vnclene spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of deuils doing wonders to go vnto the Kings of the whole earth to assemble and gather them together to the battayle against the daye of the great God omnipotent c. And it foloweth shortly after And he assembled them together into a place which is called in Hebrue Armagedon that is a trap or trayne of destruction And immediatly it followeth in the same place And the seauenth Angell poured out his viole in the ayre and a mighty voice came from heauen out of the Throane saieng factum est It is done or finished c. Whereby it is to be vnderstoode that toward the last consummation of the world great force shall be seene and a mighty army of the enemies shall be collected and gathered against the people and Saints of the highest and then commeth the consummation with factum est c. Wherefore it is not for naught that the holy Spirite of God in the same place a little before the sixt Angell doe poure out his viole doth exhort all the faithfull sayeng Behold I come like a theefe in the night Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments least he walke naked and men see his fylthynes c. Nicol. de Lyra and Paulus Bishop of Burdens and Mathias Dorinke writing vpon
when the thousand yeares shal be complete Satanas shal be let out of his doungeon and shall go abroad to seduce the people which are on the foure corners of the lād of Gog and Magog to assemble them to battaile whose number is like to the sandes of the Sea And they went vp vpon the latitude or breadth of the earth and compassed about the tentes of the Saintes and the welbeloued Cities c. To the perfect vnderstandyng of this Prophecie three thynges are necessary to be knowen First what is ment by byndyng vp and loosing out of Satanas the old Dragon Secondly at what tyme and yeare first he was chayned vp and sealed for a thousand yeares Thirdly at what yeare and tyme these thousand yeares did end when as he should be loosed out agayne for a litle season Which three poyntes beyng well examined and marked the Prophecie may easely bee vnderstand directly to be ment of the Turke Albeit Anagogically some part thereof may also be referred not vnproperly vnto the Pope as is aboue notified First by byndyng and loosing of Satanas seemeth to be ment the ceasing and staying of the cruell and horrible persecution of the Heathen Emperours of Rome against the true Christians as is to be sene in the x. first persecutions in the primitiue Church aboue described in the former part of these Actes and Monumentes in the whiche most bloudy persecutions Satanas the deuill then raged without all measure till tyme it pleased almightie God to stoppe this old Serpent and to tye him shorter And thus haue you to vnderstād what is ment by the bindyng vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares whereby is signified that the persecution agaynst the Christians styrred vp by the beast that is in the Empire of Rome through the instigation of Sathan shall not alwayes continue but shall breake vp after certaine tyme and shall cease for a thousand yeares c. Now at what tyme and yeare this persecution that is the fury and rage of Sathan should cease is also declared in the Apocalipse before where in the chapter 11. 13. wee reade that the beast afore mētioned shall haue power to worke his malice and mischiefe the space of 42. moneths and no more and then that Sathan should be locked vp for a thousand yeares The computation of which moneths being counted by Sabbates of yeares after the example of the 69. weekes of Daniell cap. 11 it doth bring vs to the iust yeare and time when that terrible persecution in the primitiue Church should end and so it did For giue to euery moneth a Sabbat of yeares that is recken euery moneth for seauen yeares and that maketh 294. yeares which was the full time betweene the 18. yeare of Tiberius vnder whome Christ suffered and the death of Maxentius the last persecutour of the primitiue Church in Europe subdued by Constantinus as may appeare by calculating the yeares moneths and dayes betweene the said yeare of the reigne of Tiberius and the latter end of Maxentius and so haue ye the supputation of the yeare and time when Satan was first bound vp after he had raged in the primitue Church 42. monethes Which moneths as is said being counted by Sabbates of yeares after the vsuall manner of the Scripture mounteth to 294 yeares and so much was the full time betweene the passion of our Lorde which was in the 18. yeare of Tiberius vnto the last yeare of Maxentius And heere by the way commeth a note to be obserued that forasmuch as by the number of these 42. monethes specified in the Apocalips the Empire of Rome must necessarily be confessed to be the first beast therefore it must by like necessitie follow the Bishop of Rome to be the second beast with the two hornes of the Lambe for that he only hath and doth cause the sayd Empyre of Rome to reuiue and to be magnified and so doth not the Turke but rather laboureth to the contrary Wherfore let euery Christian man be wise and beware betime how he taketh the marke of the beast least peraduenture it follow vpon him that he drinke of that terrible cup of wrath mentioned Apocal chap. 14. Thirdly it remayneth to be discussed touching the third point in this foresaid prophesie that as we haue found out through the helpe of Christ the yeare and time of Satās binding so we search out likewise the time and season of his loosing out which by the testimonie of Scripture was appointed to be a thousand yeares after his binding vp and so rightly according to the time appointed it came to passe For if we number well by the Scripture the yeare of his binding vp which was from the passion of our Lorde 294. yeares and adde thereto a thousand yeares it mounteth to 1294. Which was the very yeare when Ottomannus the first Turke began his reigne which was the first spring and welhead of all these wofull calamities that the Church of Christ hath felt both in Asia Affrica and Europe almost these three hundreth yeares past For so wee finde in Chronicles that the kingdome of the Turkes being first deuided into four families an 1280. at length the familie of Ottomanus preuailed and thereupon came these whome now we call Turkes which was about the same time when Pope Boniface the eight was Byshop of Rome Where by the way this is againe to be noted that after the decree of Transubstantiation was enacted in the Councell of Laterane by Pope Innocent the iij. the yeare of our Lord 1215. not long after about the yeare of our Lord 1260. was stirred vp the power and armes of the Oguzians and of the Orthogules father of Ottomannus who about the yeare of our Lord 1294. began first to vexe the Christians about Pontus Bithinia so beginning his kingdome anno 1300. reigned 28. yeares as is afore mētioned Mention was made before of Ezechiell prophesieng against Gog whose words diuers expositours do apply against the Turke and are these Thou shalt come from thy place out of the North partes thou and much people with thee all riding vpon horse a great and a mighty army and thou shalt come vp against my people of Israell as a cloude to couer the land Thou shalt be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee vpon my land that the heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes Thus sayth the Lord God Art not thou he of whome I haue spoken in the old time by the hand of my seruants the Prophets of Israell that prophesied in those dayes and yeares that I woulde bring thee vpon them At the same time also when Gog shall come against the lande of Israell sayth the Lord God my wrath shall arise in mine anger For in my indignation and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken it Surely at that time there shall be a great shaking in the land of
the first persecution by the church of Rome againste the Albingenses or waldenses about Tolous Bitures and Auinion Of whome 17. M. the same time were slaine by the Popes crossed souldiors Among whom frier Dominicke was then the chiefest doer About whyche time also was Frier Frances of which two came the two orders of begging Friers al which began much about one time together An. 1215. which were nere within 20. yeres after the kingdome of the Christians was taken of the Turkes according to the Prophesie aboue sayd It followeth moreouer in Methodius That in hys time al Lordship domination shal cease and geue ouer c. The verity whereof we see noâ—e accomplished in the Pope For where the Pope with his double sword and triple crown doeth come there all seculare power must geue place both Emperors Kings and Princes must stoupe So king Iohn yeelded vp his crowne to Pandulsus the popes Legate and was in his hand 5. daies An. 12â—7 Childerike the French K. had hys crowne taken from him and geuen to Pipine An. 747. Henricus 4. Emperor was forced to submit hymselfe and his scepter to Pope Hildebrand An. 1077. Fridoricus Barbarossa Emperour in Saint Markes Church in Uenice was faine to lay downe hys necke vnder the Pope Alexanders feete Anno 1277. Which Fridericke also before was faine to holde the stirroppe to Pope Adrian c. What should I speake of the Ambassadour of Uenice named Franciscus Dandulus who being sent to Pope Clement the 5. was made to lie vnder the Popes cable like a dog gather vp the croms meÌ„cioned in Sabel Enn. 9. li. 7. Henry the 3. being Emperor had hys diademe first set on with the feete of the Pope and afterwarde strocken off from his head with the Popes foote againe And what shall I speake more hereof when as Carolus Magnus submitted himselfe so lowe to kisse the feete of Pope Leo. An. 800. It foloweth then in the prophesie of Methodius That in the tribulation of those dayes shall be sent from God two speciall Prophettes Enoch and Hely to reprooue and disclose the fraudulent falsehode of Antichrist and that many seeing his delusion shall forsake him and followe them Wherat Antichrist being greeued shall kill them c. We neuer read yet in any story of any suche two Prophets to be sent either to the Saracens or to the Turkes Wheras against the Pope we read Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prage two learned Martyrs Prophets of God to haue bene sent to haue reproued and described the Anatomie of Antichrist and at last to haue bene burned for their labor And what Prophet can speake more plainely either Enoch or Hely then did Hierom of Prage prophesying of the comming of Martin Luther an C. yeres after him when the Pope and his fellowes should answere to God and to him The time we see came iust Nowe let the Pope see with his fellowes what answer they can make The true plate of Hus and Hierome among the Bohemians It followeth further in Methodius concludyng hys prophecie And then sayth he shall appeare the comming of the sonne of man in the clouds of heauen with celestial glory c. Wherefore after the burning of these two notable Prophets with many other thousands burned also since their time by the B. of Rome it is to be thought that the comming of Christes iudgement in the clouds is not farre of Veni cito Domine Amen And thus muche touching Methodius of whose prophecies how much or how little is to be estemed I leaue it indifferent vnto the reader For me it shal suffice simply to haue recited his wordes as I finde them in his booke contained noting this by that way that of this booke of Methodius De nouissimis temporibus neither Hierome in his Cataloge nor Suidas nor yet Auentinus in the place where hee entreateth purposely of such prophecies maketh any mention As touching Hildegardus Brigit other whome the French cal Bardi for their songs prophetical verses sufficient hath ben alleaged before out of Anentinus who in his 3. booke of Chronicles wryting of the testimonies of Hildegard Brigit and Bardi seemeth to grounde vppon them that the Turkes whether we wil or not shal haue their Imperiall seate at Colen And I pray God that it come not to passe that the Turke do geue some attempt against England by the seas before that he come to Colen by land c. Greuity causeth me to cut of many testimonies and reuelations of these abouesaide or els I could here rehearse the propheticall wordes of Brigit lib. 4. cap. 57. concerning the City and Church of Rome which as she sayth must be purged and scoured with 3. things to wit with sharpe sword with fire and with the plough and that God wil doe with that Citie as one that remoueth plants out of one place vnto an other and finally that the Citie of Rome shall susteine the sentence as if a Iudge should commaund the skin to be flaine off the bloude to be drawne from the flesh and the flesh to be cut in small peces the bones therof to be broken so that all the mary may be quised out from the same c. But for breuitie I let Brigit passe something wil declare out of Erythrea Sybilla in her booke of prophecies found in S. Georges church in Uenice where she prophesying many things of the birth of Christ vnder Augustus and of the birth of Iohn Baptist of baptisme of the Apostles of the conuersion of the Gentiles and of Constantinus c. hath these words After that the peaceable Bull shall conclude all the climes of the world vnder tribute in those daies a heauenly lambe shal come and the dayes shal come wheÌ„ the power of the flowing streame shal be magnified in water the Lyon the Monarche shal be conuerted to the Lambe which shall shine to all men and subuert kingdomes Moreouer sayeth Sybilla In the latter age God shall bee huÌ„bled and the diuine ofspring shal be abased Deitie shal be ioyned with humanity the Lambe shal lie in hay and God maÌ„ shall be bred vp vnder a maidens attendance signes and woÌ„dershal go before amoÌ„gest the circumcised c. Also an aged womaÌ„ shal coÌ„ceiue a childe hauing knowledge of things to come The Worlde shall maruell at Bowtes the starre which shall be a leader to his birth He hauing 32. feete and 6. thumbes shal chuse to himself out of â—â—sners and abiectes the number of 12. and one deuill not wyth â—â—orde nor with battel c. And afterwarde thus followeth moreouer in Sybilia saying The health of the lambe lying shal be clothed with a fewe spoiles of the Lyon Blacke shal be turned into red He shall subdue the citie of Aeneas and kings but in the booke of the fisher In deiectioÌ„ and pouertie he shall coÌ„quere
riches and shall treade downe pride with his owne death In the night he shall rise vp and be changed he shall liue and raigne and all these things shall be consummated and regeneration or newe things be made at last hee shall iudge both good and euill c. And thus much briefly collected out of Sybilia Erythrea concerning Christ our Lord. Furthermore touching the state and course of the Church and of Antichrist it foloweth in the sayde Sybille saying Then shall 4 Winged beastes rise vp in testimonie they shal soūd out with trumpets the name of the lambe sowing righteousnes the law irreprehensible Against which law the beast shal gainstand the abhomination froth of the dragon But a maruelous star shal rise hauing the image of the 4. beasts shal be in a maruelous multitude he shal bring light to the Greekes and shal illustrate the world The lake of the fisher shall bring the name of the lambe with power into the Citie of Eneas vnto the end of the worlde or time Then in the city of Eneas the starre ioyned shall loose such as were bound of the deuill and thereof hee shall reioyce and glory and glorious shal be his end c. After this Sybilia wryting as it semeth of Antichrist importeth these words And it shall come to passe that an horrible beast shal come out of the East whose roaring shall be heard to Aphrike to the people of Carthage Which hath 7. heades and scepters innumerable feete 663. He shall gainstande the lambe to blaspheme his Testamēt encreasing the waters of the dragon The kings princes of the world he shall burne in intolerable sweat they shal not diminish his feete And then two starres like to the first starre shall rise against the beast and shal not preuaile till the abhomination shall be come and the wil of the Lord shall be consummate And again speaking of the same matter he inferreth these words of the foresaid 2. starres aboue mētioned And toward the latter dayes two bright starres shall arise raising vp men lying dead in their sinnes being like to the first starre hauing the face of the 4. beasts which shall resist the beast the waters of the dragon testifying or preaching the name and lawe of the lambe the destruction of abhomination and iudgement and shal diminish his waters but they shal be weakened in the bread of affliction and they shall rise againe in stronger force c. And it foloweth moreouer After the abhomination then shal truth be reuealed the lambe shal be known to whom regions and countreis shal submit their necks all earthly men shal agree together in one to come into one fold and to be ruled vnder one discipline and after this shal be but a small time c. And shortly after the saide Sybilia speaking of the latter iudgement to come declareth how all the abhominations of sinnes shall come before the lambe and that terrible fire shall fall frō heauen which shall consume al carthly things created vnto the top of heauen c. And thus muche out of Sybilla touching her prophesies of Christ Antichrist according a◠I founde them alleaged of a certaine catholike Romish wryter in his booke entituled Onus ecclesiae excerped as he sayeth out of the library of S. George in the citie of Uenice Philip Melancthon in his preface vpon Bartholomaeus Georgienitz Peregrinus wryting of the Origene and manners of the Turks alledgeth a certaine prophesy of Hikenus mentioned hereafter which foresaid that the Turkes should beare rule in Italy and in Germany An. 1600. Now it remaineth in conclusion of these prophesies of the Turks something to say of the Turks owne prophesies concerning the enduring ending of their own kingdom whose propheticall prognostication being taken out of their owne language and their own bookes I thought here to insert as I finde it alleaged in the booke of the forsayd Bartholomaeus Georgienitz as followeth A Turkish prophecie in the Persian toung of the raigne and ruine of the Turkes PAtissahomoz ghelu Ciaferum memleketi alur keuzul almai alur Kapzeiler iedi y ladegh Gyaur keleci csikmasse on ikiyladegh onlaron beghlig eder eusi iapar baghi diker bahesai baghlar oglikezi olur onichi yldensora Hristianon Keleci csichar ol Turchi gerestine tus chure The Latine of the same IMperator noster veniet ethnici Principis regnum capiet rubrū quoque pomum capiet in suam potestatem rediget quod si septimum vsque annum Christianorum gladius non insurrexit vsque ad duodecimum annum els dominabitur Domos ae dificabit vineas plantabit hortos sepibus muniet liberos procreabit post duodecimum annum apparebit Christianorum gladius qui Turcam quaqua versum in fugam aget The same in English OUr Emperour shal come he shal get the kingdome of the Gentiles prince also he shal take the red apple and shall bring it vnder his subiection and if the sworde of the Christians shall not rise vnto the vij yeare hee shall haue dominion ouer them vnto the xii yere He shal build houses plant vineyardes shal hedge about his orchards shall procreate children and after the xij yeare shal appeare the sworde of the Christians whych shall putte the Turke to flight euery where They whych make declaration of thys Turkishe prophesie do expound this xij yeare to signify the xij yeare after the winning of Constantinople which Constantinople they say is ment by the redde apple And after that xij yeare say they shall rise the sworde of the Christians c. and this prophesie being wrytten and translated out of the Persian tounge with this exposition vpon the same is to be found in the boke of Bartholomeus Georgienitz Albeit concerning the exposition therof it semeth not to be true which is there spoken of the xij yeare after the wynning of Constantinople being nowe 100. yeares since the wynning thereof Wherefore it may rather seme probable that by the vij yeare and xii yeare of the Turkes this to be the meaning that if the vij of the Ottaman Turks do scape the sworde of the Christians they shall continue builde and plant c. vntill the xij Turke which is thys Solymannus then after that shall rise the Christians sworde whych shall put them to flight and vanquish them in al quarters And this exposition may seeme to accord with the place of Genesis wherin is wrytten of Ismael that he had xij sonnes no mo So that this Solymannus being the xij Turke after Ottomannus may by the grace of Christ be the last whō we heard credibly to be reported at the printing heereof to be dead But howsoeuer this prophecy is to be takē it appeareth by their owne Oracles that at length they shal be ouercome by the Christians A Table describing the times and yeares of the Saracens Turkes and Tartarlans for the better explaining
the Tartarians who breaking into Asia by the portes of Caspius subdued diuers partes of Asia namely about Comana Colchis Iberia Albania c. These Tartarians as they had got many captiues in their warres so for gaine vsed to shippe them ouer customably to Alexandria in Egypt to be solde whych seruantes and captiues Melechsala the great Sultane was gladde to buy to serue him in his warres Which captiues seruaunts after they had continued a certaine space in Egypte and through their valiant seruice grew in fauour and estimation with the sayd Melechsala and began more to increase in number and strength at lengthe they slue him and tooke to themselues the name and kingdome of the Sultane And thus ceased the stocke of Saracon Saladinus afore mentioned which continued in Egypt about the space as is sayd of 100 yeres An. 1240. After the death of Melechsala the army of these foresaide rascals and captiues set vp to themselues a king of theyr owne coÌ„pany whome they called Turquemenius Who to fill vp the nomber of theyr company that it should not diminish deuised this order to get or to buy christeÌ„ mens children taken yong froÌ„ their parents and the mothers lap whom they vsed so to bryng vp to make them to denye Christ and to be circumcised and instructed in Mahumetes law afterward to be trained in the feates of warre and these were called Malaluchi Among whome this was their order that none might be aduaunced to be king but out of their own number or els chosen by them neither that any shoulde be made knights or horsemen but only the children of christians which should deny Christ before called Mamaluchi Also it was among them prouided that to thys dignity neither Saracens nor Iewes should be admitted Item that the succession therof shoulde not descend to the children and offpring of these Mamaluchi Also that the succession of the crowne should not descend to the childreÌ„ of the foresayd Sultanes but shoulde goe by voyce and election The Tartarians wyth Turquemenius their king aboute thys time obtained Turquia that is Asia minor from the Turkes and wythin 2. yeres after preuailing againste the Turkes expelled them from theyr kingdome and so continued these Mamaluchi reigning ouer Egypt a great part of Asia till the time of Tomumbeius theyr last Kyng whych was destroyed and hanged at the gates of Memphis by Zelymus the Turke father to this Solymannus as in hys historye is declared Those Mamaluchi continued the space of An. 1245. These Tartarians raÌ„ging thorough the countreis of the Georgians and all Armenia came as far as IconiuÌ„ which was then the imperiall city of the Turkes An. 1289. The Soldane of Egypt Babilon got from the christiaÌ„s Tripolis Tyrus Sydon and Gerithus in Syria An. 1291. Lastly Ptoloâ—â—ais which also is called Akers was surprised by the sayd Soldan rased and cast downe to the ground all the Christians therein whych were not many left were slaine And this was the last citye which the Christians had in Asia So that nowe the Christians haue not one foot as is sayd before left in al Asia Thus the Egyptian Soldanes and the Tartarians reigned and ranged ouer the most part of Asia aboue the Turkes till the raigne of Ottomannus the great Turke aboute the space of 80 yeres ¶ And thus haue ye the whole discourse of the Turkish story with theyr names countryes townes dominions also with theyr times continuance interruptions and alterations in order described and in yeares distincted which otherwise in most authors and writers be so confused that it is heard to know distinctly what difference is betwene the Saracens Turkes Tartarians the Sultans or Soldans Mamuluches or Ianizarites What is theyr Calipha their Seriphes their Sultan or Bassa in what times they began and how long and in what order of yeres they reigned Al which in thys present table manifestly to thine eye may appeare ¶ Wherein this thou hast moreouer gentle Reader to coÌ„sider which is worthy the noting how the B. of Rome all this season froÌ„ the first beginning of the Turks reigne hath not ceased from time to time continually calling vpon Christen princes and subiectes to take the crosse and to warre against the Turkes wherupon so many great viages haue bene made to the holy lande so many battailes sought against the Turke and Soldan for winning the holy crosse and yet no luckie successe hath followed thereof hetherto nor euer came it prosperously forward whatsoeuer through the exciting of that Bishop hath beene attempted against that great enemy of the Lorde In somuch that the Christians haue lost not onely all that they had in Asia but also vnneth are able to defende that little they haue in Europe against his violence What the cause is of thys harde lucke of the Byshops doings it is hard for man to define Let men muse as their minde leadeth and as the Gospell sayth he that hath eyes to see let him see This is certaine that as there hath lacked no care nor diligence in the B. of Rome to stirre men vp to that business so on the Princes behalfe there hath lacked no courage nor strength of men no contribution of expenses no supportation of charges no furniture or abilement of warre onely the blessyng of God semeth to haue lacked The reason and cause whereof I would were to easy to be reformed as it may be quickly construed For what man beholding the life of vs Christians wil greatly maruell why the Lord goeth not with our army to fight against the Turks And if my verdit might here haue place for me to adde my censure there appeareth to me an other cause in this matter yet greater then thys aforesaid which to make plaine and cuidet in ful discourse of wordes laisure no we doth not permit Briefly to touch what I conceiue my opinioÌ„ is thys that if the sincere doctrine of Christen faith deliuered left vnto vs in the word of God had not hen so corrupted in the church of Rome or if the B. of Rome would yet reclame his impure idolatry and prophanations and admit Christe the Lambe of God to stande alone without our unpure additions to be our onely Iustification according to the free promise of Gods grace I nothing doubt but the power of this faith grounding onely vpon Christ the sonne of God had both framed our liues into a better disposition and also soone would or yet wil bring downe the pride of that proude Dolofernes But otherwise if the Bish. of Rome will not gently geue place to the milde voyce of Gods word I thinke not contrary but he shal be compelled at last to giue place roume to the Turke whether he will or not And yet notwythstanding when both the Turk the Pope shal do against it what they can the trueth and grace of Gods Testament shall fructify increase by such meanes as the Lorde shall worke which
beginneth already praise to the Lord to come graciously and luckely forward in most places ¶ A Prayer against the Turkes O Eternall Lorde God father of our Lord Iesus Christ creator and disposer of all things iust gracious wise only in the name and reuerence of thy sonne Iesus wee prostrate our selues desiring thine omnipotent maiestie to looke downe vppon these afflicted times of thy poore creatures and seruaunts reliue thy Church increase our faith and confound our enemies and as thou hast geuen thine onely begotten sonne vnto vs promising with hym life to all that shall beleeue vpon his name so encline the obedience of our faith to thy promises in him that our hearts may be farre of from all other sinnefull additions and prophane inuentions which are besides him and not in him grounded vpon thy will and promise And graunt we beseeche thee to thy Church more and more to see how terrible a thing it is to set vp any other meanes or helpe of saluation but onely in him whome thou only hast sent and sealed Reforme thy Church with perfecte doctrine and faithfull teachers that we seeing our owne weakenesse may put off our selues and put on him without whom we can do nothing So shall we stand strong when nothing standeth in vs but thy sonne alone in whome thou art onely pleased Renew in this thy Church againe the decaied faith of thy sonne Iesus which may plentifully bring foorth in vs not leaues onely but frutes of Christian life And forgeue our wretched Idolatry and blinde phantasies past wherwith we haue prouoked manifold waies thy deserued indignation against vs For our hearts haue bene full of Idoles our temples full of Images our wayes full of hypocrisie thy Sacraments prophaned and thy religion turned to superstition because the lanterne of thy worde went not before vs therfore we haue stumbled Miserably we haue walked hetherto like sonnes not of Sara but of Agar and therefore these Turkish Agarens haue risen vp against vs. Many hard and straight wayes we haue passed but the wayes of the Lorde we haue not founde Much cost we haue bestowed on bread that swageth no hunger but that bread which onely feedeth and commeth freely we haue not tasted We haue sailed farre and nere in barkes of our owne building but haue not kept within the Arke onely of thy promise and therefore these floudes haue taken vs. We haue prayed much but not in thine appoynted temple and therefore haue not bene heard Wee haue plowed and tilled but without thy haiffer and therfore this vntidie ground of ours bringeth foorth so many weedes We do fish apace and that all night but because we fish not on the right side of the boate in our fishing we catche neuer a sinne Our buildings be full of good intentions great devotiōs but because the groud worke is not surely laid vpō the rocke of thy promise the East winde riseth and shaketh them all to shiuers We walke and haue walked long after the precepts and doctrines of men hauing a shew of wisedome but not as holding the heade where lieth all our strength and therefore these Philistian Turkes haue hetherto so preuailed against vs. Briefly all the partes and bones of the body be shaken out of place Wherefore we beseeche thee O Lorde put to thy holy hand and set them in the right ioynt againe And finally reduce this same thy mysticall body againe to his perfect and naturall head whych is thine onely sonne Iesus Christ and none other For him onely hast thou annoynted and appoynted Neither is there any other head that can minister strength and nutriment to this body but he alone for asmuch as all other heades be sinnefull and are not able to stande in thy sight but make thys body rather worse then better Onely this thy welbeloued and perfecte sonne is he in whome onely dwelleth all our strength and fulnesse him onely we confesse and knowledge For whome and with whome wee beseeche thee O Lorde God of hostes graunt to thy Church strength and victory against the malicious fury of these Turkes Saraeens Tartarians againste Gog and Magog and all the malignaunt rabble of Antichrist enemies to thy sonne Iesus our Lord and Sauior Preuent their deuises ouerthrow their power and dissolue their kingdome that the kingdome of thy sonne so long oppressed may recouer and flourish ouer all and that they which wretchedly be fallen from thee may happely be reduced againe into the folde of thy saluation throughe Iesus Christe our only mediatour and most mercifull aduocate Amen IN this long digression wherin sufficiently hath bene described the grieuous and tedious persecution of the Saracens Turkes against the Christians thou hast to vnderstand good reader and beholde the image of a terrible Antichrist euidently appearing both by his own doings also by the scriptures prophecied declared to vs before Now in comparing the Turke with the pope if a question be asked whether of them is the truer or greater Antichrist it were easy to see and iudge that the Turke is the more open and manifest enemye agaynst Christe and hys Church But if it be asked whether of them two hath bene the more bloudy and pernitious aduersary to Christe and his members or whether of them hath consumed and spilt more Christian bloud he with sword or this with fire and sword together neither is it a light matter to discerne neither is it my part here to discusse which do onely write the history and the Actes of them both wherfore after the story of the Turkes thus finished nowe to teenter agayne there whereas we left in describing the domesticall troubles and persecutions here at home vnder the Byshop of Rome after the burning of Babram in Northfolke aboue declared pag 737. I signified also of an other certaine aged man mētioned in an old written Chronicle borowed of one in that tower instituted Polychron although I finde not his name in the saide Chronicle expressed which suffered the paines of burning in Smithfield about the same time which was the yere of our Lord. 1500. Ex Polycron This aged father I suppose be hee of whome I finde mention made in certaine olde papers and recordes of W. Larye Citizen all be it the day of the moneth doth a little differ wherin is thus testified that on the 20. day of Iuly An. 100. vpon the day of S. Margaret there was an olde man burned in smithfield for an hereticke the same person vpon the 10. day before he was burned wold haue stolen out of the Lolardes tower and so falling out of the tower did fowly hurt him selfe wherupon he was caried in a car◠to his death as he went to his burning In the foresaid papers of auncient recorde is furthermore declared how in the yere aboue prefixed which was An. 1499. In the time of one Perseuell many were taken for heretickes in Kent and at Paules crosse they bare faggottes and
Thamasangmnem quten prote impides Fat nos Chrihe scaÌ„dere qu Thomas â—â— cendiâ— The king sendeth â—â— Rome Ex librio notatioâ—â— histeruâ—i manuscrip to â— Skeng The penit of the four knightes Ex Houeâ—â— no. Ireland 〈◊〉 subdued to England Anno. 1172. The kings penance for the death of Becket Exquadrilogo K. Héry the 2. goeth on pilgrimage with bloudie steps to Tho. Bee Ex Rogero Houdeno quadrilogo alijs Anno. 1174. The citie of Canterbury almost consumed with fire Ex Houedeno parte 1. continuata historiae Anno. 1175. Controuersie betwene the sea of Can. the sea of York Archbishop of Yorke appealed the Archb. of Canterterbury to the byshop of Rome The clerkes of S. Oswald in Glocester excommunicated Agreement betweene the Archb. of Cant. and of Yorke Anno. 1176. Iustices of assise deuided into vj. circuites Ex Epitome Math. Parisensis alsarum historiarum A friuolous coÌ„tention betwene the Archb. and the Abbot of Canterbury Where was here the precept of the gospel he that wil be greatest amoÌ„gst you let him be an vnderling to other The tenor of the popes letter to the Byshop of Worcester Houedenus Gisbergensis Anno. 1177. A meeke Emperour a proude Pope The Emperour holdeth the Popes stirrup Contention betweene two Archbishops who should sit on the right hand of the Cardinal The large dominion of K. Henry the 2. Homage of Scotland in paine of interdiction K. HeÌ„ry the 2. protection of Fraunce K. Henry chosen king of Ierusale â— refused â— Ayde not to be denied to our neighbours the cause being godly Ex Polyâ—â—â—â— Ex Giraâ—â—â— Cambricaâ—â— â—ing Henry â—osen arbiâ—er by two â—nges The treasure of K. Henry the â— A couetous Archbishop Pride destroyeth all K. Henry the 2. persecuted by his sonnes The death of K. Henry the second Howe the kyng being being dead bled at the comming of his sonne Anno. 1179. Geuyng of the pall Ex libro grauaminum nationis germanicâ— The solemne oth of Byshops made to the Pope Saluo meâ— ord This was the clause that made Becket to be banished and to be slaine And howe be not those Byshops then persured which at the death of Q. Mary set and let out a great part of their possessions froÌ„ their successors The vowe of chastitie layde vpon priestes Richardus Baldwinus Archb of Canterb. Valdeâ—â—â— seu paupâ—â—â— do 〈◊〉 Leonâ—â—â— Insabbate 4. Arch pâ—lers 〈◊〉 papistâ—y The history of Waldenses or Albingenses The true nature of Antichrist neither hiâ— selfe to further the word nor suffer other men to do it The articles of Waldenses * This article seemeth to be giuen vp of them in BohemialoÌ„g after for indulgences came not in before Bonifacius 8. Thomas Acuin first finder of Purgatory Ex Ortbuinâ—â—ratio Chronica Gestorum Orâ—gines super tertium librum Mosis The sacramentall bread ought not to be kept or reserued Part of the disputatioÌ„ betwene Doct. Austen and Waldenses Dilemmae That is a captious question iâ— conferring on both sides an inconuenience The answere of tho Waldenses What it is to receiue after a sacramentall maner Naturall Sacramentall An other Dilemma against Transubstantiation Eneas Syluius Bohemica historia de ValdoÌ„sium dogmatibus The Temple of the Lord that is the proper habitatioÌ„ wherin God most properly dwelleth and worketh That is the verie place maketh not the ministration of holy thinges either more or lesse holy De moribus et consuâ—tudiue Valdensium Their maner of grace before meate Their grace after meate Reinerius â— olde inquiâ—itor agataâ— Waldenâ—â— Pius â—idetur locus is lasciuossacerdotes The power and multitude of Waldenses Waldenses in all other points souÌ„d but onely for holding against the church of Rome Ex Orthin no Grain The crosse commonly foloweth the word Waldenses persecuted more then 300. yeares agoe by Antichrist Antichrist with whom he first begaÌ„ his persecution An horrible mâ—rther of Christs holy martyrs Minerius an horrible persecutor A Glouer suffered martyrdome in Cheron 44â— brought to examination Incidences in the reigne of K. Henry the 2. Becket a dissoluer of manages Two children crucified by the Iewes Babilon vtterly destroied The holie crosse taken with the citie of Ierusalem by the Saracens Persecution of the Turk against the Christians A viage against the Turkes Howe the difference of the crosses first came in amoÌ„gst christian princes The kings promises fulfilled to the Pope King of Scottes doing homage to the king of England The Church of Scotland ordered by the church of York Murtherers could not be punished by the Popes decrees London bridge of stone S. William of Paris Ireland subdued to England Pilgrimage to Canterbury sprang by a lying vision A iust reward for an idolatrous viage Transubstantiation gaynsayd Queene Alionor imprisoned Expositions made by Chris. both of the olde and newe testament The Charter house monkes The Bishop of CoueÌ„try vâ—â—untarely renounceth his byshoppricke S. Hugh of Lincolne Lambeth first begun to be built K. Henries gift to the Church of Rome for the death of Becket A worthie storie of Sibilla and Guido in Ierusalem A worthie example of a true wife to her husband A worthy example in Guido of a true subiect to the common wealth A singular example of prudence in a princes and fidelitie in a wife The king admonished to amerâ—â— his life Sonday to be free 〈◊〉 bying and selling The secoâ—â— and thirde admoniâ—â—â— to the â—ing to reforme his life SeueÌ„ things to be amâ—â—ded The kingeâ— victory was falsely imputed to the cause of hiâ— pilgrimage The death K. Henry the 2. Anno. 1189. K. Richard crowned The kinges restraint that no Iew should enter the place nor Church during his coronation A Iewe through feare was baptized The Iewes in London staine and their houses set on fire The small regard of nobilitie had in tumults and insurrectioÌ„s A new christian reuolteth to an olde Iewe. An vnaduised answere of an Arcb. Ex Chron. Westm. cui initium Aneas cum Ascanio c. A miserable and deserued destruction of the Iewes Anno. 1189. The couetous greedinesse of Byshops noted in bying great lordships Sleightes to get money A tenth gathered thorough all England K. Philip and K. Richard concluding to trauayle to the holy lande Anno. 1190. A Northren braule in the Cathedrall church of York betweene the new Archb. and the Deane Henry Deane of Yorke and Bucarde begin seruice not tarying for their Archb. The Deane and Treasurer wold not cease euenlong at the archbishops commandement The Archb. beginneth euensong againe being halfe done before The Treasurer putteth out the candels at euensong The Popes Church can do nothing without candle light The Deane and Church of York suspended by the Archb. from diuine seruice The stoutnes of the Deane and Treasurer in not submitting them selues to Archb. The people incensed against the Deane of Yorke and his Canons Ex Chron. anonimo cui instium Anno gratiae K. Richard prepareth toward his iourney William Bishop of Ely the kings Chauncellor Hugh
DispensatioÌ„ from Pope Alexander to forsake his first wife and to marry an other Ludouicus Vladislaus sonne king of Hungary Boheme Warre betwene Charles Duke of Burgoyne Fredericke the Emperour Anno. 1475. Charles Duke of Burgoyne slaine in warre Anno. 1477. Mary daughter of Charles of Burgoyne maried to MaximiliaÌ„ Warre dissention among Christen princeâ— The discord of Christians scourged by the Turkes Discord and dissention in the Church noted Ambition auarice of the church of Rome Ex Rapulario Henrici Token The sea of Rome is turned into an Oceane that haâ—â— no bottome What a million is Concilium Bituriense Pragmatica Sanctio Ex loan Maria Belga de Schismat Conciliis cap. 24. Pope pius laboreth that Pragmatica Sanctio should be abolished The counsaile of Paris appealeth from the pope to the generall Councell Vid. supra pag. 670. The complaint of the Germaines to the Emperour for helpe and ayde against the oppression of the Pope Fredericke made the Germaines twise subiect vnto the Pope Frid. Albertus his brother and Sigismundus striue for the dukedome of Austria Warre betwene Franciscus Sfortia and the Venetians about Millaine Warre betwene Lewes the French king and the citie of Millaine Iohn a Notherde of Franconia Martyr Anno. 1476. Iohn de Wesailia persecuted Anno. 1479. The articles and opinioÌ„s of Iohn de Wesalia Free will nothing Prelates haue no more power ouer scriptures then other men Extreme vnction reproued Against the primacy of the Pope Iohn de Wesalia brought before the prelates The Inquisitour speaketh The answer of Wesalianus reasonable The cruell proceeding of the Inquisitour The greater cause of the Pope described Scio. Credo His opinion of the sacrament His opinion of Monkes and Nunnes The vowe of chastitie Mortall sinne founnd by the Pope beside that which is expressed to be mortall in the scripture What is this article but to make the Pope a god Christ left no vicar in earthe Pardons and indulgences be of no effect The treasure of saintes merites is not in earth This saying waâ— taken out of one Cantor Pariensis which was went to say thaâ— pardoÌ„s were holy decertes because that laye men there were prouoked by naughtie decerteâ— to geue good almes Degrees â—nscripture forbidden to marry Nothing to be beleued but which is in scripture conteyned The Church geueth witnes who were the writers of the scripture but hath no authoritie aboue that which is writteÌ„ By this inquisition Christ himselfe might be condemned Ex Orth. Grat. Ex Paralip Abat Vrsper Discorde betwixt Reals Nominals Ex Orth. Grat. Doct. Iohn de Wesalia reuoketh his opinioÌ„s Albert duke of Saxonie called Dextra manus imperis Albert Marques of Brandenburg called Achilles Germanicus Anno. 1484. The abhomination of Pope Sixtus Ex Declamatione Agrippa ad Lonanienses The warres of Pope Sixtus Ex Ioan. Laziardo lib. Historia Vniuersalii cap. 284. A large gift of the Pope to the begging Friers Alanus author of our Ladies Psalter Then had the blessed virgine Mary two husbandes An olde knaue to sucke his wiues brest The detestable impietie and blasphemie of the popishe lying religion Mendacem memorem esse oportet Ex Latinâ— Codice impresso cui tituluit Rosasea Maria Corona The death of Pope Sixtus 4. Here endeth Platina The death of king Edward 4. Anno. 1483. Burdet Tyranny in miscoÌ„string a mans wordes The lawes of the realme misconstred for the princes pleasure K. Edward 5 Eccle. 10. Vaepuero regi in suo regno Richard Duke of Glocester made protectour The young king committed to Duke of Gloucester The Duke of Buckingham a great doer for the protectour Both king Edwardes children in the possessioÌ„ of the protectour The deuelisliâ— protectour picketh quarelles The Queene Shores wife falsely accused of the protector to bewitch his arme Adultery punished of God Murder iustly punished of god L. Hastings arrested for a traytour L. Stanley wounded B. Morton The tyranny of the protectour The L. Hastings beheaded The beastly protectour accuseth his owne mother Doct. Shawes impudent sermoÌ„ at Paules crosse Sap. 4. Example for all flattering preachers to bâ—ware The Duke of Buckingham an other minister for the protectours furie The Duke of Buckingham speaketh for the protectour in the Guildhall An hard thing to make the tongue speake against the hart A stolne consent in the Guild-hall Fye of hipocrisie The hypocrisie of the protector denying the crowne thrise before he would take it King Richard 3. vsurper King Richard crowned The truth of Robert Brabenbury to his prince Iames Tyrel I. Dighton Miles Iorest cruell traytors and murtherers of their Prince YouÌ„g princes The 2. children of king Edward murdered The iust punishmeÌ„t of God vpoÌ„ the minderers of them two The punishment of God vpon K. Richard The punishmeÌ„t of God vpon the Duke of BuckinghaÌ„ Doct. Shaw and Doct. Pinkie two flattering preachers Gods iudgement vpon flattering preachers The first motion of ioyning the two houses Yorke and Lancaster togeather Earle Henry maketh preparation toward his iourney The arriuing of Henry Earle of RichmoÌ„d in Wales K. Richad gathered his power to encounter with Earle Henry K. Richard taketh the field of Bolworth This Lord Stanley was he which was hurt at the Tower when the L. Hastings was arested vide pag. 727. Bosworth field The history of Sir Tho. More word â—or word taken out of Polid. Virg. W. Brandon Charles Brandon The death of king Richard Duke of Northfolke slaine Lord Tho. Haward Earle of Surrey aduaunced by K. Henry 7. K. Richards sonne punished for the wickednes of his father K. Richard proposed to marry Elizabeth his brothers daughter L. Stanley husband to K. Henries mother forsooke k. Richard The L. Strange meruelously preserued The shamefull tossing of king Richardes dead Corpes Anno. 1485. King Henry 9. K. Henry marieth with Elizabeth The two houses of Yorke and Lancaster ioyned together Anno. 1486. Maximilianus Emperour The reigne and death of Fridericus Emperour Anno. 1494. Maximilian marieth the Duches of Burgoyne This Mary was neece to king Edward 4. The learning of Maximilian coÌ„mended Maximilian writer of his owne stories Ex leaÌ„ Carione Maximilian first ordeiner of the vnyuersitie of Wittenberg Learned meÌ„ begin to grow in Christendome Doct. Weselus Groningensis Weselus called Lux Mundi The doctrine of Weselus Groningensis Ex lib. D. Weseli De sacrameÌ„to peniteÌ„tia The Popes supremacie written against Ex Epist. cuinsilam in opere Weseli Christes aunswere to Tho. de Corselis touching this place Quicquid ligaueris Not what so euer is said to be loosed in earth is loosed in heauen but whatsoeuer is loosed in very deede in earth that is also loosed in deede in heauen Against tiches in the Church The preceptes of the Pope prelates how they binde The Popes keyes Vowes Doctrine not to be receaued without examinatioÌ„ Excommunication Ex Nouiomago A prophesie of Weselus This Oftendorpius was a man well learned and Canon of the minster of Lubecke Here it appeareth that
this R. Agricola was of good iudgement though the Friers after ward buried him in a Friers weede Rodol Agricola Weselus lamenteth the darcknes of the Church Anno. 1464. Ioane Boughton mother to the lady Young martir Anno. 1497. Richard Milderale Iames Sturdye Hugh Glouer Foure other beare fagots Anno. 1498. A priest burnt Babram brent in Northfolke Martir An olde man burned Anno. 1499. Hieronimus Sauonarola with two fryers Martirs Prophesie of Hie. Sauonarola against Italy Pope Aleâ—â—deâ— besieged by Charles the Freâ—â—ch Lâ—â—g Sauonaroâ—â—â— ted to appeaâ—â— before the Pope The doctrine of Sauonarola condemned because he would not come before the Pope Sauonarola preacheth contrary to the Popes commauÌ„dement Hieron with â—â— other Friers coÌ„mitted to 〈◊〉 The comâ—â—â—â— rie of Hierome Sauon vpon the Psalme beginning In te domine speraui Articles obiected against Hierome the two Fryers The prophesies of Hierome Sauonarola Ex Ioan. Francis Mirandula Ex Marsilio Ficino Ex Philip. Cominca The complaintes of the Germaines against the Popes greuances renued Ten greuances complayned of by the Germaines Remedies against the â—â—nclayde greeuances The Archbishops Palle of MeÌ„tz what it cosâ—eth The Popes palle dearely bought The people polled for the popes Palle Aboue 50. Byshopricks in Germany The Emperour aduertised of the subtill practises of the pope and popish prelates The popes pretence of building S. Peters church in Rome A supplication or exhortation to Maximilian Emper for redresse of the church No man to haue two Canonships or prebeÌ„ds at once Pope Alexander 6. The pope poyloneth Gemes the turks brother beyng committed to his custodie Ex Paul Iouio lib. 2. lib 5. Ex Hieronym Mario The Pope setteth the great turke against the French K. Ex Seb. Munstero lib. 4. Cosmograph Mancinellus writing against the wickednes of the pope loste hys handes and tongue Poyson requited with poyson The high Angel of the poper pallace throwne Pope Pius 3. Pope Iulius 2. The popes law geueth leaue to kyll all that be accursed of him The warres and bloudshed of pope Iulius 2. The pope periured A councell called to depose pope Iulius The Pragmaticall Sanction established mentioned before pag. 674. No vniust excommunication to be feared The turkes doing requisite to be knowen of Christians The first cause The seconde cause The third cause The fourth cause The fift cause Admonition to fight against the turke Christian fayth necessary to be ioyned with outward force against the turk Gratis venum â—atiâ—stis gratis â—eâ—imemini Elai 52. Omnes sâ—tientes venite ad aquas emite absque argento et commutatione Elai 55. Reformation of religion requisite before we fight with the turkes Faith getteth victory The sixt cause Earnest inuocation necessary in the Church of Christ. 2. thess 2. The place of S. Paule expounded 2. thess 2. speaking of the defection to come The number of the Apocalips cap. 13. expounded An other place Apocal. 16. Et sextus Angelus effudit phialam suam c. The time of Mahumete the false prophet expounded The number of the beast in the Apo. cap. 13. Mahumet of the stocke of the Ismalites dwelling in Arabia The prodigious lyes blasphemies of Mahumets Alchoran Mahumetes Alchoran mingled with diuers lawes The numeration of the Apoc. 666. Damascus subdued of the Saracens Mahumet put to flight by Cosroes kyng of the Persians Hierusalem beâ—ieged Cesaria got of the Saracens The kyngdome of the Persians subdued to the SaraceÌ„s Arabia Palestina Phenicia Syria Egypt and Persia subdued of the Saracens Constance the Emperour ouercome by the Saracens Murder coÌ„monly prospereth not with the Lord. Rhodes spoyled of the SaraceÌ„s Sultanes first called The first rysing of the turkes The turkes dominions parted into 4. familyes The dissensention of the Christians do make the turkes so strong No impeâ—lall countrie in all the turkish dominions The description of the turkes vnordinate Empyre Ezech. 39. Apoc. 20. The Christen kingdomes and churches destroyed by the turkes are a warning for vs whom God hath yet spared Foure principall families of the turke The family of Ottomannus Ottomannus the first Emperour of the Turkes Inward warre amonge the Turkes The comming vp of OttomaÌ„nus Bithinia Natolia Ancyra Sinope Sebastia subdued Ezech. 38. Orchanes the second Emperour of the Turkes after Ottomannus Mysia Lydia Lycaonia Phrigia Caria Prusia Nicia Nicomedia Christen Cities subdued of the Turkes Ciuil warre among the Grecians By the discorde of Christians the Turkes encrease Amurathes the third â—â—â—ter Ottomannus Amurathes seeketh occasion to inâ—ade Europe The first comming of the Turke into Europe The couetousnes of Christians brought ouer the Turkes Callipolis Philippolis Adrianopolis Thracia gotten of the Turkes The Turkes entreth into Mysia and Bulgaria and Seruâ—a Lazarus Despota ouercome of the Turkes Example of a faythfull seruant The death of Amurathes Baiazetes the 4. after Ottomannus Marcus Despota slayne of the Turke Seruia Macedonia Bulgaria Phocides Thracia Attica Thessalia with other Christian couÌ„tries cóquered of the Turkes Constantinople besieged 8. yeares by the Turkes The Christians ouerthrowen of the Turkes Sigismund Emperour put to flight The barbarous cruelty of the turks against the Christians Tamerlanes a Parthian stirred vp of God to reuenge the cause of the Christians Baiazetes sonne taken and slaine Cruelty iustly reuenged with cruelty Baiazetes raiseth hys siege from Constantinople Baiazetes ouercome of Tamerlanes king of Parthians The iust haÌ„d of God vpoÌ„ a cruell persecutour Baiazetes made for a blocke for Tamerlanes to get vpon his horse Viâ—d supra pag. 73. The great victories of Tamerlanes in Asia Ex Seb. MuÌ„stero lib. 4. Cosmograph Tanais is the vttermost floud in the North side and Nilus the vttermost floud in the South side of Asia A generation of Vipers Calepinus the fift after Ottomannus Vide supra pag. 7â—9 The ouerthrow of Sigismund fighting agaynst the Turke Some stories record this coÌ„flict to be after the time of thys Turke Orchanes and Moses his vncle Diuersitie in hystories Tirany betwene vncle and nephew Murther reuenged with murther Mahometes the 7. after OttomaÌ„nus Wallachia assaulted by Mahometes The Turkes seat at Adrianopolis Vide supra pag. 719. Amurathes the 8. after Ottomannus Mustaphas murthered by Amurathes his nephew The turke murthereth his brother Amurathes set against the Grecians Thracia subdued to the turke Thessalonica subdued The defection spoken of Saint Paule declared 2. Thess. 2. Ioannes Castriotus Croia geuen to â—â— turke 〈◊〉 sonnes of â—â—â—triotus hostages with the turke Georgius Scanderbeius Alexder the great The valiant Actes of Georgius Scanderbeius * Georgius Scáderbeius stealeth away from the turke to hys countrey Croâ—ia recouered Epyrus and Macedonia recoueâ—â—d from the turke The valiaunt aâ—â—es of Georgâ—us Scanderbeiâ—â—â— against the turkes Illiâ—leâ— or Selauonia Dalmatia Croatia Istria Liburnia Albania Bosna spoyled and wasted by the turke Georgius Despota prince of Seruia An vngodly graunt of a Christen father to Marye hys daughter to the turke Scopia Sophia NouomoÌ„te Mysia subdued of the turke Georgius Despota fled
bee noted in the turks how many victories they haue got howe cruelly they haue vsed their victories Ex Marino Barletio de Scodr ex pugnat lib. 2. Ex Michael Sottero lib. 1. de Bello Pannonico fol. 525. Ex Bernardo de Breydenbach Decano Eccl. Maegunâ— The superstitious vse of the materiall crosse Vide supra pag. 755. Ex Bernardo Breydenb A notable example of maydenly chastitie Vid. supra pag. 7â—4 The miserable spillyng of Christen mens bloud by the wretched turkâ— A briefe recitall of Christen townes forts wonne of the tuâ—ke in Europe The crueltie of the turk against the Citizens of Constantinople Vide supra pag. 706. The crueltie of the turk against the prisoners of Methone Ex Leonico Chalcondyla de rebus Turcicis lib. 10. A straunge and a prodigious wonder of a brute beast towarde a dead Christian body More humanitie seene in a brute beast then in the turke The Byshop with the Citizens of Methone slayne of the turke Ex Andrea de Lâ—cuna aliss Ex Ioanne Fabro in oratione ad Regem Henr. 8. The crueltie of the turke in Euboâ—a The prince of Seruia slayne slayne of the turke â—et neuer Christen prince trust the turke The turkes stirred vp of the deuil to fight against Christ. The turkes are butchers of the Christians The miserable state of the Christian captiues vnder the turke The buying and sellyng of Christen captiues vnder the turks Christen capriues tythed of the turke O wickednes passing all miserie O miserie aboue all miseries The seruitude of yong women captiues Ex Bartholomeo Georgioniz Peregrina lib. de afflictionibus Christianorum sub Tuica The miserable calamitie of Christen women being in captinitie vnder the turkes The maner of Christen captiues how they are brought to markets and solde Christians in their captiuitie put to drawe in the plough like horses The great daungers of Christen captiues which flye out of turky The maner and shift of our men in getting ouer the sea The manifold daungers by the way in flying The mysery of Christian cities prouinces which line vnder the turkes tribute If Christians may not goe lyke turkes why should our Gospellers goe like Papistes The turkes haue their fire fagots as well as our papistes The Christians must light from their horse meting a turkish priest and adore hym An other miserie most lamentable in takyng away Christen mens children from their parentes to serue the turke O myserie This is with teares rather theÌ„ with words to be expressed Priuy Gospellers in Turkie An olde Prophesie of the turkes touching the sword of the Christian. Necessary for many causes that the troubles of the church beknowen The largenes of the Turkes dommions declared A pamea is a citie in Bithinia also another in Mesopotamia Apamea Cybotus also a citie in great Phrygia and another also in parthia Phrygia Minor in Ptolomy is called Iroas At Carura a certayne baude with a company of harlots beeing there lodged sodenly hapned an earthquake in the citie wherein the sayde baude with al his strompettes were swallowed vp Pius 2. papa lib. Descriptione cap. 16. Here Basilius Magnus was Bishop The couÌ„trey where S. Paule was borne * Another Corycus is also in the I le of Creta Bessabee is a citie in Iury also an other in Ipumaea * Antiochia apud Orentem chiefe citie in Siria where the disciples of christ were first named Christians Acts. 11. * Nicopolis is a City also in Macedonia mentioned in the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus Cap. 3. * Seleucia is a citie in Siria Also another in Pamphilla another in Cilicia pisidiae an other in Coelisyria and in Mesopotamia another * In this Laodicaea was the councell kept which is called Concilium Laodicense There is another Laodicaea in Lydiae neare to Colosâ—ae in Asia minor Coloss 5. Lacodicae a also is the chief Citie in Phrigia pa catiana neare to Galatia Act. 18. 1. Tim. 6. In Edessa raigned king Abgarus mentioned in Euseb. lib. 1. cap. 15. to whome Christ wrote promysing to send vnto him after his death Babylon in Chaldoea where Nabuchodonoser raigned and was after destroyed and translated by Seleucus Nicanor Another is in Egypt called Alcayâ—â—s Ilands belonging to Asia Minor This Cyprus K. Rich. the first did once subdue fighting agaynst the Saracens Ex Aene. syluio Lib. De Orbis Descrip. cap 74. A memorable facte of a virgine in defence of her countrey Ex Sebast. Munst Cosmo lib. 5. in praefat Vide supra pag. 98.99 Argos is a citie in Amphilochia and an other also in Peloponesus Of Corinthus Strabo writeth that more then a thousande virgines there in the temple of Venus vsed yearely to be set out to bee made common and therfore not without cause Saint Paule writeth Eratis Scortatores Idololatrae c. 1. Cor. 6. The Ilands about Graecia Vide supra pag. 719. In Creta S. Paule ordained Titus to be Byshop and ouerieer Corcica is an Iland beyond Italy whiche the Turkes nauie ioynyng with the French dyd ouercome an 1553. The region of Mysia is deuided into two partes wherof the one is in Asia is deuided into Mysia maior and Mysia minor The other is in Europa is deuided into Mysia or Moesia superior and Mysia inferior Epidaurus is a citie in Illiria and also an other in Peloponesus These regions were in the former tyme called by the name of Illyria or Illyricum and Afterward by reason of certaine Scythians commyng thether they were also called Sclauonia Stephanus kyng of Bosna afterward of Rascia and Mysia was by subtil trayne allured to come and speake with Mahumete the Turk who being come was taken and his skinne flayne off All this tracte of Bulgaria Walachia Transyluania Seruia Rascia Moldauia was wont to be called Dacia but afterward was seuered into diuers lands and dominions Of Ioannes Huniades read before pag. 720.721 At Columbetz Sigismunde loste the fielde fightyng against the Turkes Vide supra pag. 719. In Varna a Citie in Rascia Ladislaus K. of Hungary fought with the Turke and was ouercome an 1444. Vide supra pag. 720. Prophesies considered for the beginning and falling of the Turkes kingdome Two things to be considered in the tyme and order of the olde Testament The scriptures the people In Dan. Prophe Phil. Melanct Gen. 4. The Saracens come of Ismael ResemblaÌ„ce betweene the 12. soÌ„nes of Ismaell and the 12. Ottoman Turkes 4. Reg. 17. The olde church of the Israelites beareth a representatioÌ„ or image of the publicke church of Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 10. The church of the Iewes a figure of Christes Church Ex Phil. Melanct in Danielem cap. 9. The tymes and yeares of the old church compared with the newe The rule and dominion of the high priestes in the Iewes common wealth and of our prelates compared Antiochus beareth a figure of Antichrist The family of Antiochus The family of the Turkes ResemblaÌ„ce betwene the Syrian kings and
beginning of Hillary terme the king kept a Parliament at Carliel where great coÌ„plaints were brought in by the nobles and auncientes of the Realme concerning the manifolde and intollerable oppressions of churches and Monasteries and exactions of mony by the Popes Legate William Testa otherwise termed Mala Testa lately brought into the realme of England The comming of which William Testa was vpoÌ„ this occasion as followeth Pope Clement who as ye heard before had translated his Court from Rome into Fraunce where he had bene Archbishop before because hee coÌ„teÌ„ned to come remaine at his owne sea the Princes of Rome thought him therfore vnworthy to enioy Peters patrimony And so by that meanes falling in barenes pouertye liued onely of such mony of Bishops as came to him to be confirmed and with such other shiftes and gifts So that by this meanes partly of Bishops other religious men persons partly vnder the name of curtesy and beneuolence partly vnder yâ— pretence of borowing he had within the first yeare 9500. markes of siluer all his other charges and expenses which he largely that yere bestowed clearely borne Besides this he sent moreouer the foresayd Legate William Testa into England with his Bulles in the which he reserued the first fruites of the first yeare of all Churches being vacant at any time or by any man within the realme of England Scotland Wales and IrelaÌ„d and also the fruites of Abbayes and Priories within the sayd â—â—ealmes c. Whereupon the king with his nobles seing the inconuenience and harme thereof ensuing to the whole realme In the foresayd ParliameÌ„t holden at Carliell withstood the sayd Legate charging and commaunding him by the assent of the Earles BaroÌ„s that henceforth he should absteine from al such exactions And as coÌ„cerning his Lord the Pope he would direct certayne hys messeÌ„gers vnto him purposely for the same matter appointed by the which Ambassadours the king wrote vnto the foresayd Pope declaring monishing the Pope as right and reason was that he should not exact the first fruits of Churches and Abbayes by his predecessors noble men of the land founded for the honor maintenance of Gods seruice for almes hospitalitye which otherwise in so doing should all be ouerthrown And so by this meanes the Pope at that time changed his purpose as concerning Abbayes But after that the fruit of English churches was graunted to the king for 2. yeares In which space he obteined the fruits of the foresayd Churches c. During the which Parliament afore specified as men were talking many things of the popes oppressioÌ„s which he began in the English Church in the full of the Parliament sodenly fell downe as sent from heauen among theÌ„ a certaine paper with this superscription An Epistle of Cossiodorus to the Church of England concerning the abuses of the Romish Church TO the noble church of England seruing in clay and bricke as the Iewes did in times past vnder the tyrannye of the Egiptians Peter the sonne of Cassadore a Catholicke souldiour and deuout champion of Christ sendeth greeting and wishing to cast of the yoke of bondage and to receiue the reward of libertie To whom shall I compare thee or to whom shall I liken thee O daughter Ierusalem to whome shall I match thee O daughter of Syon Great is thy perturbatÃon like vnto the sea Thou sittest alone without comfort all the day long thou art confounded consumed with heauinesse Thou art geuen vp into the handes of him from whence thou canst not rise without helpe of one to lift thee vp for the Scribes and Pharisies sitting vpon the chayre of Moyses the enemies of the Romaines are as thy heades and rulers enlarging their garded philecteries and seeking to be enriched with the marow of thy bones laying heauye burdens and not able to be borne vpon thy shoulders and of thy ministers and they set thee vnder tribute which of old time hast bene free beyond all honesty or measure But maruell not thereat for thy mother which is the Lady of people like a widow hauing maried and coupled her selfe to her subiect hath appoynted him to be thy father that is to say the Byshoppe of Rome who sheweth no poynt of any fatherly loue towardes thee He magnifieth and extendeth to the vttermost his authority ouer thee And by experience he declareth himselfe to be the husband of thy mother He remembreth oft with himselfe the Propheticall saying of the Prophet and well digested the same in the inwarde part of his brest Take to thee a great booke and write therein quickely with the penne of a man take the spoyle robbe quickely But is this it which the Apostle sayth that he was appoynted for where he writeth thus Euery Byshop taken from among men is appointed for men in those thinges that belong to the Lord not to spoyle not to lay on them yearely taxes not to kill men but to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes and to sorrow with them that be ignoraunt and doe erre And so we read of Peter the Fisher whose successour he boasteth himselfe to be that after the resurrection of Christ he returned with other Apostles to the office of fishing who when he could take nothing of the left side of the shippe at the bidding of Christ turned to the right side and drew to the land a nette full of fishes Wherefore the profitable ministerye of the Church is to be exercised on the right side by the which the Deuill is ouercome and plenty of soules be lucrified and wonne to Christ. But certaynely the Labourer on the left side of the shippe is farre otherwise for in it the fayth stumbleth heauinesse beareth rule when that thing that is desired by seeking is not found For who is so foolish to thinkee that he canne both at one tyme serue God and man and to satisfy his owne will or to stick to the reuelations of flesh and bloud and to offer worthy giftes to Christ And doubtles that shepheard that watcheth not for the edifying of the flocke prepareth an other way to the roaring Lyon and seeking whom he may deuour And now beholde I say O daughter the needes of him that is called thy father such as haue not bene heard of before he driueth away the good shepheardes from the sheepefolde and placeth in theyr stead Byshoppes to rule but not to profite his Nephewes Cosins and Parentes some that know no letters and other some dumme and deafe which vnderstand not the playne voyce of the sheepe nor curing their woundes that be hurt of the Wolues but lyke hirelinges plucking of the flieses a pase and reaping that which other men haue sowen whose handes-moreouer be alwaies ready in their baskets and powches but their backes are turned from their burdens By which things it is manifest that the Priesthood is cleane chaunged at these dayes the seruice of God decayd almes diminished
and brought to nought the whole deuotion of kinges princes christians is banished May not this be thought wonderfull in the eyes of all men that where as Christ commaunded tribute to bee payde too kinges for him and for Peter he now goeth about dominioÌ„ of his stile to subdue to him both Realmes and princes of realmes against his will whose Vicar he sayth he is and who refused the Realmes and iudgementes of the world which this Bishop contrary wise chalengeth clayming all that which he in his stile writeth to be his Alacke O daughter what doth he yetmore agaynst thee marke he draweth from thee what soeuer pleaseth him and yet he thinketh not himself coÌ„tent to haue the tenth part onely of thy goodes from thee except he haue also the first fruites of the benefices of the Ministers wherby he may get a new patrimony aswell for himselfe as for his kinred contrary to the godly willes of the first founders Ouer beside all this he inferreth other excrable taxes and stipendes for his Legates and messengers whom he sendeth into England whiche not onely take away the feeding and clothing of thee and thine but also teare in pieces like dogges your flesh and skinnes May not this prince be coÌ„pared to king Nabuchodonoser which destroyed the temple of the Lord and robbed away the siluer and golden vesselles thereof The very same doth this man also he robbed the ministers of God his house and left destitute of due helpe In like maner doth he Truely they be better that are killed with the sword theÌ„ they which be pined with hunger for they are dead straight but these are wasted with the barenesse of the earth O daughter al they that passe by the way let theÌ„ haue pity coÌ„coÌ„passioÌ„ on thee for there is no sorrow like thy sorrow For now thy face is blacker then coales through much sorrow and weeping and thou art no more knowne in the streetes thy foresayd ruler hath placed thee in darckenesse and hath geuen the worm wood and gall to drinke O Lord heare the sorrow and sighinges of thy people beholde Lord and descend for the hart of this foresayd man is more indurate then the hart of Pharao For he wyll not suffer the people to depart except in the fortitude onelye of thy hand For he scourgeth them not onely miserably vpon the earth but also after their death he inteÌ„deth to incroch the goods of all Christians vnder the name and title to dye intestate or making no will Therefore let the chiualry of England well remember how the Frenchmen in times past directing their greedy eyes on the Realme of England laboured with all theyr power how to bring the same vnder their subiectioÌ„ But it is to be feared least the new deuises and practise of this new enemy supply that which hetherto hath bene lacking in them For in diminishing of the treasure of the Realme and spoyling of the Churches goods the Realme shall be brought into such inhability that it shall not be able to helpe it selfe agaynst the enemy Therefore O daughter and you the ministers thereof suffer not your selues to be lead any more into such miserable bondage Better it is for the wealth of thee and thine that the Christian king and the powers of the Realme which haue indued thee with great benefites and you also which are indued with their benefites doe labour with all your power how to resist the deuises conspiracies arrogancy presumption and pride of the foresayd person who not for any zeale of God but for the enriching of hys Parentes and for hys owne kinred exalting himselfe like an Eagle by these and suche other exactions goeth about after a newe kinde of extortion to scrape vppe and deuoure all the money and treasure of England Now least the dissembled simplicity of the Realme in this behalfe doe bring vtter subuersion and afterwarde be compelled to seeke remedy when it is to late I beseech the Lord God of hoastes to turne away the vale from the hart of that man and to geue him a contrite and an humble minde in such sort as he may acknowledge the wayes of the true God whereby he may bee brought out of darckenesse and bee enforced to relinquishe his olde sinister attemptes and that the vineyard which the Lordes hand hath plaÌ„ted may be replenished continually with the preachers of the word Let the wordes of the Lord prophesied by the mouth of Ieremy stirre vp your mindes to withstand resist the subtle practises of this man by the which wordes the Lord speaketh O thou Pastor which hast scattered my people and hast cast them out of their habitations behold I will come and visite vpon thee and vpon the malice of thy studies neither shall there be any of thy seed which shall sit vpon the seat of Dauid neither whiche shall haue power any more in Iuda So that thy â—east shall become barren and vtterly subuerted like Sodome and Gomer And if he being terrified by these wordes do not leaue of froÌ„ this which he beginneth and doth not make restitution of those thinges which he hath receiued then let all and singular persons sing for him being indurat to him that seeth all things the Psalme 108. Deus laudem c. For truely as fauour grace and beneuolence remitteth and neglecteth many thinges so agayne the gentle benignitie of man being too much oppressed and grieued seeking to be deliuered and freed from the same striueth and searcheth to haue the trueth knowne and casteth off that yoake by all meanes possible that geueth him c. Haec Cassiodorus ¶ What effect this letter wrought in them to whom it was directed is not in story expressed This by the sequell may be coniectured that no reason or perswasion coulde preuayle but that the Pope retained here still his exactions whatsoeuer was sayd or written to the contrary notwithstanding And thus much being written hetherto of these actes and doings here in England now to slipp a little into the matters happening the same time in Fraunce vnder the raign of the foresayd king Philip aboue mentioned forsomuch as about this time an 1329. was commensed a parliament by the sayd king of Fraunce agaynst the Pope touching the iurisdiction both teÌ„porall pertaining to princes and ecclesiasticall belonging to the church I thought it not vnprofitable for the reader to heare learne the full discourse and tractation hereof according as we haue caused it to be excerpt faythfully out of the true copye and recordes of Peter Bertrand Bishop of Eduenen and chiefe doer prolocutor in the sayd parliament vpon the Popes side agaynst the king and state temporall For so much as the high Prelate of Rome otherwise called Antichrist being theÌ„ in his chief ruffe extolling him selfe aboue all princes and potestates of the world as in other countryes so also in FrauÌ„ce extended his vsurped iurisdictioÌ„ aboue the princely authority of the king claiming to himselfe full
tyrannie But the Turcke preuailing and they not able to wythstande the siege the Christians conuented together into a certaine house prepared for the purpose bothe menne women and children where they setting the house on fire gaue themselues rather to be burned then to come into the tyrauntes handes Certaine women also wyth their children cast themselues headlong into the sea by that meanes to auoid the turkishe captiuitie Some wryters there be which affirme that the Methonians seeing 5. great shyps of the Venetians comming with men and vitailes towarde them issued downe from the walles to the sea side to receiue them which were all taken captiues being aboue the number of a thousand which al being tied with long ropes were brought before the tyraunt and in his sight were cruelly slaine except certaine Nobles whom Cherseugles sonne in lawe to Baiazetes got to be pardoned amongst whome was Andreas Britto The Citie of Coron also Pilus Cities in Grece being terrified with the example of the Methonians yeelded themselues to the power of the turks Crisseum otherwise called Caput Sancti Galli was expugned by Cherscogles by force of gunnes These thynges thus atchieues although Baiazetes went away victor vnto Constantinople yet notwithstanding the Venetians through the helpe of the kynges of Fraunce and Spayne had wonne from the Turke Chephalenia an Ilande very commodious for theyr trafficke Also had gotten other two Ilandes Leucas and Nericus otherwise called Sancta Maura slaying al the garrison of the Turkes But afterwarde peace being taken betweene the Venetians and the Turckes by the counsaile of Andreas Gitto aforesayde the Turkes so agreed that Leucas and Nericus the Ilandes abouesayde should be rendred vnto the Turke and the Venetians should keepe stil the possession of Chephalenia Vnto this league the Turke did the rather condescend for that hee had to maintaine warre agaynst Ismaell Sophus in Asia king of Persia Which Sophus was stirred vp by Gods prouidence to warre with thys Baiazetes wher by the Christian Churches in Europe myght haue some breathing time and freedome from the Turkes cruell tyranny bloudshed This Sophus was a valiant Turke who with great power victories had ouerrunne a great compasse of the East partes of Asia then passing from Assiria into Media and returning againe into Arinenia hee made warre against the Albanians Hiberians and Scythians and from thence comming vnto Asia Minor encountred with Corcuthus Baiazetes sonne and afterward cōming to Bithynia sought with Caragius Bassa Baiazetes Captaine whome he ouercame and put to flight and afterward tooke him aliue and his wise prisonners Afterward he was encountered by Halibassa an other captaine of the Turkes whome Techelles one of the sayd Sophus captaines meeting in the plaine of Galatia did withstand and so by the way slue Caragius the Captain and hanged hym vppon a poale in the sight of Halibassa which Halibassa shortly after was slaine in warre and hys army scattered and put to flight Thus through the admirable example of Gods iustice and prouidence were these turks kept occupied so came it to passe that these Barbarians being blasphemous against the sonne of God shoulde thus horribly run one to the destruction of an other being worthely punished with mutuall slaughter and bloudshed for theyr impiety and blasphemy against Christ and his religion wherby in the meane time some rest was geuen to the Christians Baiazetes partly by these victories discouraged partly diseased and languishing of the goute and partly also broken with age finding himselfe vnweldy to the regiment of that tumultuous kingdome began to haue talke with his nobles about the chusing of one to succede him The occasion whereof ministred much matter of inward warres amongst the Turkes This Baiazetes had in all 6. sonnes wherof three died before him and three yet were left aliue to witte Acomates Corcuthus and Zilymus Baiazetes himselfe had moste minde to Acomates but the chiefest of his nobles did fauor rather Zelymus who through theyr traiterous incitation prouoked him to stirre warre against hys father and notwythstanding that he was ouercome in war yet through intercession he was reconciled agayne to his father and afterwarde proclaimed againe Emperor against his fathers will through the helpe fauour of the souldiours entring the first beginning of hys kingdome in the murthering of hys owne father The storye whereof in some authors is thus declared After that the Ianizarites had perswaded wyth Baiazetes for that he himselfe was vnweldy therfore he should do well to constitute some successour and that he had assigned Acomates to succeede him the Ianizarites being offended with the sayd Acomates because he would not enlarge their stipends and bribe them compassing about the kings pallace wyth their priuy swordes whych they hadde vnder theyr garments wyth a mighty crie required Zelymus to be appointed for their Emperor Vnto whom when Baiazetes had answered that he had assigned Acomates they refused him because he was fatte grosse and vnable thereunto but needes would haue Zelymus which was stoute and warlike to be made Emperour and withall drew out their swords crying Zelymus Zelymus Thē Baiazetes geuing place to their fury shewed himselfe content to geue them Zelymus whom the Iaitizarites receiuing brought him into the pallace vnto whom Baiazetes his father geuing place willed him not to be so hasty furious in hys doings but to be modest and take heede what hee dyd and not to follow hys fury but to geue place vnto time whych reuealeth all thinges and thinke hymselfe to be a man subiect to dangers and icoperdies as other men are and thus speaking he resigned hys Imperiall throne and seate vnto him went away all heauy entring into a certaine order of their religion Wherupon folowed great exclamatiōs of the people saluting Zelymus as Emperor Who then taking the rule vpō him begā with great cruelty to gouern destroying many of his nobles such as had stood against him some with poyson some by other cruel meanes aduauncing his owne side with great honors and promotions Not long after that Zelymus was thus setled in hys kingdome Baiazetes his father entending to see prooue howe he behaued himselfe in his gouernment first entred into the treasure house where he found all his riches to be scattered and gone Afterwarde he came into hys armorie where all the spoyles gotten by warre were likewise wasted then entring into the Iewel house where al his plate and gifts sent from Kings and Princes were kept whych likewise were dispearsed geuen away At length he came into the stable where also he seeing his principall horses to be lacking sighing wyth himselfe and crying vengeaunce vpon him he prepared himself with the residue of the treasure which was remaining to saile ouer into Natolia vnto his eldest sonne and passing by an Orchard neare to the sea side where he had appoynted to take ship in the meane time whilest the shippes